LOCAL entrepreneurs have over the years been experiencing major challenges, struggling to make ends meet, particularly during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the entire sector is failing to make a significant impact in the local economy, women entrepreneurs are particularly the most vulnerable and underperforming.

Access to finance is one of the biggest challenges they usually encounter, at some point leading to the ultimate collapse of their businesses. Other women fail to even transform their ideas into reality because of absence of funds and other necessities.

In essence, it means women entrepreneurs really need more support from different stakeholders to ensure progress. Thanks to organisations such as the UNDP and Standard Lesotho Bank, which are currently putting women at the forefront and assisting them to build their businesses.

Just this week, the UNDP decided to join hands with Econet Telecom Lesotho to among others, uplift women entrepreneurs towards realising their dreams.

For instance, under the initiative known as “Her Empire” the UNDP enrolled 18 women who lead their own enterprises in different sectors. This is the first cohort of women-led enterprises being enrolled in this initiative, which was launched in May.

The main objective of the initiative is to ensure that women-led enterprises improve their business capacities, transforming into iconic business frameworks pioneered by women and are able to compete at the highest level of service provision including participation in public and private procurement processes.

Initiatives of this nature should indeed be applauded because they will certainly unleash the potential of women entrepreneurs which unfortunately has been overlooked for many years.