Lesotho’s Lockdown: A Blessing or Curse to Local Entrepreneurs?

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With the world changing by the day, it is only right that the entrepreneurs of today change with it. In Lesotho, the lockdown has taught many of us to be innovative and think outside the box.

As a farmer, the lockdown has only made me realize the importance of food to the economy. More especially, vegetables and agricultural produce.

Because of the sudden and uncomfortable shift towards remote working, many employees have lost their jobs in the process. This has meant that because many do not have the luxury of working from home, their positions in companies were threatened and as such this cost them their jobs and means to make a living.

With this turn of events, many have been left with no other alternative but to use the little they have to make a living. With the use of social media, many start up entrepreneurs, either by choice or by circumstance have been faced with this one dilemma. How to stand out from the crowd?

A wise man once purported that there could be nothing new under the sun, just a modification of what already exists. Which begs the question, what are SMME’s to do in order for them to be seen as innovative. I did mention that food is my particular area of interest as an entrepreneur. This is also because when most places were closing down in town, restaurants, pubs etc.., it only became more evident to all how important food is in our daily lives.

When it was all said and done, only “essential” services were open for business and let’s be honest, nothing is more essential than FOOD!

The lockdown in Lesotho, although as tumultuous a period this has been for us, has presented opportunities for the observant entrepreneur. For instance, many employees who work in town now have to make their own lunch, as they no longer have the option of having their preferred lunch/ dish of “lekakarane.” This presents an opportunity for the quick thinking impresario who has a talent for cooking and twitter fingers.

As one local businessperson once said, “If the lockdown did not bring the hustler in you, nothing ever will.” One business which has successfully been able to spot a niche in the market and stand out from the crowd is MBV, a food delivery service which makes and delivers gargantuan burgers to your doorstep and a very low cost.

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