Day 7 - Friday 18 December
Today was the day when all the student co-operatives made their presentations about their new products for their business.
The Assistant Minister form the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Co-operatives and Marketing, The Hon. Khotso Matla MP was there to support the proceedings. It was great to see how hard everybody had worked on their presentations showing they had developed skills and knowledge. The Assistant Minister summed up young co-operatives perfectly. “The promotion of the youth co-operatives is designed to promote professionalism among the youth in running and manning their co-operatives, learning and development, concern for community, good governance including consumer protection across all sectors of the movement.”
Each presentation explored all the aspects the Assistant Minister mentioned. There were some great ideas. Awards were given to the groups for a range of different categories such as best presentation, most likely to succeed and best business plan. I was impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication everybody showed. The Assistant Minister described the young co-operatives as, “unique because of their members, who are innovative, they do not repeat the same types because of their members, who are innovative, they do not repeat the same types of co-operatives like adults do, and for example there are youth co-operatives in tourism and entertainment, to mention just a few examples. Creativity and innovation involves using energy even in threatening situation like the global economic recession where youth co-operatives have been growing in numbers and strength.”
There was a big article in the Mololi, a local newspaper in Maseru, which expressed the success of the event. There were some great pictures of us all working hard. The article explained “The honourable Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Co-operatives and Marketing thanked Rochdale Pioneers for paving for world the way of co-operatives.” Watching the presentation highlighted to us all the importance of co-operatives not only to the people in Lesotho but worldwide.
And the awards went to:
| Business most likely to succeed | Cinema Junkies |
| Best business strategy | Ungulungulu Farmers Co-operative Society |
| Best Social Goals | Detect It |
| Hardworkers Co-operative Society |
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| Best response to local needs | United Multipurpose Co-operative |
| Youth Business Development |
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| Beauty Products |
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| Vuka Zenzela |
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| Most ambitious project | Disturbia |
| Best overall business plan | United Youth SACCO |
| Most original business idea | Bachala Co-operative |
| Best business plan | Lesotho National Institute of Entertainment |
| Best presentation | Phoronand Spring Water |
After such an inspiring morning, we then took a seven hour journey down to the north west province of Johannesburg to stay at a Game Lodge near Rustenburg, where the England football team will be based in the World Cup next June.