A new business market in Maseru is putting queer-led enterprises in the spotlight, with practical clinics, networking and a chance to meet potential partners. The Phutheho gathering aims to connect LGBTIQ+ entrepreneurs with buyers and business support, while tackling the everyday hurdles that can keep promising ventures out of formal markets.
A market designed to turn introductions into opportunity
Maseru’s Phutheho Business Market and Network Convening is set to bring LGBTIQ+ entrepreneurs, artisans and creatives together on 13 November at Lake Cookhouse in Maqalika. The market exhibition will showcase queer-led businesses, while the wider gathering is intended to connect participants with financial institutions, companies and public bodies. [2]
The event, hosted by Queer WorX through its Queer Econ programme, takes the theme “From Margins to Markets”. It’s a useful reminder that visibility matters, but being seen is only the start; businesses also need customers, finance and reliable routes to grow. [3]
Why business support matters beyond the event
Organisers say many queer entrepreneurs have the skills and drive to run businesses, yet face barriers including limited access to capital, markets, mentorship and business networks. The planned programme responds with Business Clinics covering topics such as registration, tax, banking and financial literacy. [3]
Those services can be particularly valuable for small enterprises navigating the shift from informal trading to more structured operations. Lesotho’s MSME landscape includes businesses with differing needs and levels of formality, making practical, accessible support more useful than a one-size-fits-all approach. [5]
Phutheho draws on a spirit of shared effort
“Phutheho” means a purposeful gathering in Sesotho, and the event’s framing draws on Basotho traditions of collective effort and mutual support. Its organisers want the day to be more than a showcase: the aim is to make room for learning, collaboration and business development. [3]
That approach also sits within a wider conversation about inclusion and social attitudes in Lesotho. Work on LGBTIQ+ economic empowerment has highlighted the importance of changing mindsets alongside improving access to opportunity, because formal support is harder to reach when people are excluded or overlooked. [2], [3]
What visitors can expect at the market
Alongside the exhibition and clinics, the programme is set to include panel discussions on economic participation and access to finance. A feature called the Mafisa Table will create space for entrepreneurs to speak directly with financial institutions, companies and potential partners. [3]
There’s also a Youth Innovation Corner, where young entrepreneurs and creatives can present ideas, meet mentors and explore possible business opportunities. For visitors, that makes the gathering a chance not only to browse products and services, but to discover the people and ideas behind them. [3]
Turning inclusion into lasting business links
The organisers’ longer-term ambition is to build stronger entrepreneurial networks, raise the profile of queer-led enterprises and create pathways to finance and markets. That work matters in a broader economic climate where access to finance and formal services remains an important issue for small businesses. [3], [4], [5]
A single event won’t remove every obstacle, but direct conversations can help make support more approachable and uncover useful connections. For entrepreneurs, the most valuable result may be a follow-up meeting, a new customer or a clearer answer to a practical business question. [3]
Come for the market, and leave with a new connection or idea to build on.
Source Reference Map
Story idea inspired by: [1]
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