Lesotho Can Win The Diamonds Do Good® Entrepreneurship Grant 2024

Three Entrepreneurs from Lesotho are Finalists for the Diamonds Do Good® Entrepreneurship Grant. Learn more about them.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, July 17, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- United People Global is pleased to highlight three remarkable entrepreneurs from Lesotho who are among 24 Finalists for the prestigious Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant. With 24 Finalists from 8 countries, the winners are set to be announced on 17 July 2024.

The Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant is known for supporting outstanding entrepreneurs. The grant provides financial support ranging from $5,000 up to $20,000, enabling the winners to scale their businesses and amplify their positive impact on society. As part of the design and the impact of the Grant, the Finalists go through a development process that includes completing the UPG Biashara Learning Journey through which they acquire new skills and sharpen existing ones. After the Grant, they also benefit from the UPG Biashara Action Journey that includes, ongoing exposure, skills acquisition, mentorship and more.

“Diamonds Do Good^® is thrilled to continue its support of entrepreneurs who hail from communities where natural diamonds are mined, cut, and crafted into exquisite jewelry. Our Entrepreneurship Grant winners embody the spirit of entrepreneurship and the power of innovative ideas to create positive change.” said Nancy Orem Lyman, Executive Director, Diamonds Do Good.

The Three Finalists come from different backgrounds and they are UPG Biashara Entrepreneurs. They each demonstrated exceptional vision, creativity and unwavering determination. And their qualities have made them exceptional candidates for the prestigious Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant. They are:

Mafube Ranthimo, from Lesotho, is a seasoned logistician with over five years of experience in both start-ups and large corporations. He is the Senior Administrator at Transnet and Treasurer of the Transform Lesotho Initiative, an NGO he co-founded in 2018. A BCom Financial Management graduate from the University of South Africa and a double recipient of the Alan F. Wholstetter scholarship, Mafube is also the Managing Director of Hades Fortuna, a start-up focused on sustainable construction. Additionally, he is an avid mental health activist and retail investor.

Mat'sepo Sello, from Maseru, Lesotho, is the founder and CEO of Lehakoe Cosmetics, a business that has been operational for four years. She completed Business Management and advisory services at BEDCO's Capacity Building Programme, Entrepreneurship Training by TIKKA, and Export Readiness Training by ImpactHER. Mat'sepo works full-time at Lehakoe Cosmetics and is passionate about empowering women entrepreneurs and expanding Intra-African trade. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and cooking.

Mabatho Hlaoli, founder and director of EcoFrica Innovations, helps communities harness the power of waste through innovative biogas, organic fertilizers, and eco-friendly waste management solutions, transforming animal waste into valuable resources.

This year the 24 Finalists come from 8 countries: Botswana, Canada, India, Lesotho, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania. Which countries will be represented among the winners? And which country will win the grand prize? In 2023 the honour of the grand prize went to Namibia with UPG Biashara Entrepreneur Eddy Ngong securing USD 20,000.

“It is a joy to listen to entrepreneurs with brilliant solutions that win in the marketplace and that also deliver value to their communities. The Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant has delivered another year of blockbuster impact - and the businesses are getting stronger and stronger. We know that all the Finalists are winners and we look forward to supporting their progress,” said Yemi Bebington-Ashaye, President of United People Global.


“It is a joy to listen to entrepreneurs with brilliant solutions that win in the marketplace and that also deliver value to their communities. The Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant has delivered another year of blockbuster impact - and the businesses are getting stronger and stronger. We know that all the Finalists are winners and we look forward to supporting their progress,” said Yemi Bebington-Ashaye, President of United People Global.

In 2024 each of the 24 Finalists have demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination to reach the final stage of the Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant. Their businesses represent diverse industries including: agriculture, education, electronics, energy, environment / nature, events, health and health care, jewellery, manufacturing, marketing, real estate and more. And their creative approaches to business solutions as well as their dedication has propelled them forward as outstanding contenders for the Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant 2024.

Here are the Finalists representing 8 countries, they are also visible on this brief video: https://youtu.be/n_DjxP_cakU

What has happened so far? The 24 finalists advanced to the ultimate stage of the process: a "Shark Tank" format. This entailed presenting to an experienced panel, in front of a live audience. During these sessions, the UPG Biashara entrepreneurs showcased their ideas, businesses, and distinct value propositions. Now the next step is the announcement of the winners and with 10 winners expected to win the prestigious Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant 2024.

When is the announcement? The announcement of the winners takes place on 17 July 2024 from 4pm CEST (10 am EST). And it is possible for those passionate about entrepreneurship to witness the winners of the Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant 2024. While places last, those interested can RSVP here: https://upglive.org/upgbiashara-events-RSVP. The event brings together people passionate about entrepreneurship including industry leaders, investors, and supporters who are eager to witness the next generation of entrepreneurial success stories.

And so who will win? “The Finalists for the Diamonds Do Good^® Entrepreneurship Grant are outstanding and each of them is a winner! Once the announcement is made, we will be happy and sad at the same time. And we will remain united in the understanding that when any of them wins, then we are all winning. I invite you to keep an eye on all of these entrepreneurs,” said Yemi Babington-Ashaye, President, United People Global.

About Diamonds Do Good^®: A not-for-profit organization inspired in 2006 by Nelson Mandela to tell the world about the positive impact of diamonds in Southern Africa. Presently, its primary objective is to initiate significant transformations within natural diamond communities worldwide and to effectively share these impactful narratives. https://www.diamondsdogood.com.

About UPG Biashara: UPG Biashara is an initiative that supports entrepreneurs in their journey to turn ideas into businesses. This includes growing and strengthening existing enterprises. UPG Biashara provides training, mentorship, financial support and more.
United People Global is a community that encourages and enables people to participate in making the world a better place.

Note to Editors
Social media hashtags: #DiamondsDoGoodGrant #UPGBiashara
Learn more about the Diamonds Do Good ^® Grant: https://upglive.org/DDG-Grant
Learn more about the Diamonds Do Good ^®: https://www.diamondsdogood.com/
Learn more about UPG Biashara: https://upglive.org/UPGBiashara
Learn more about United People Global https://unitedpeople.global/about-us
Join UPG: https://unitedpeople.global/join
Join UPG Media Community: https://unitedpeople.global/nominations/journalists-nomination
Follow UPG on social media: @unitedpeopleglobal or on Twitter: @unitedpeople36

Dixita Mahanta
United People Global
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Meet the 24 Finalists of the #DiamondsDoGoodGrant 2024 - #UPGBiashara