Tholoana Orchard Society, a cooperative that aims to create fruit orchards in Lesotho, under the National University of Lesotho (NUL) Innovation Hub, has already acquired 12, 000 square metres of land in Maliele, the land between Mikaeleng and Mahlabatheng in Roma. “We would like to appreciate the cooperation and enthusiasm of the chiefs and villagers in the area and its surroundings and the assistance of the Manonyame Community Council as we look forward to acquiring more land and creating Lesotho’s own Ceres,” said the happy Mr Retšepile Matamane, the CEO of the Tholoana Orchard Society.
From as little as M50 per month (which buys you shares in the society), you can become part of Tholoana by joining through this link:
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“The idea is to ensure Lesotho becomes fruit wonderland, in the next few years” said the Tholoana’s CEO, Mr Retšepile Matamane.
*WHO WE ARE*
Tholoana Orchard Cooperative Society (TOCS) is a legally registered agricultural cooperative and it operates under the NUL Innovation Hub. It is formed to invest in, and own, fruit orchards throughout the country. Tholoana will also acquire suitable lands to grow special, selected herbs, which will be harvested and processed to produce herbal teas, essential oils and the likes.
[WhatsApp The CEO of Tholoana Orchard Society, Mr Retsepile Matamane, here for more details: +266 63629058]
*HOW WILL THIS BE ACHIEVED? *
Suitable lands will be acquired and our team of specialists will inspect the fields to provide a prescription of which fruit trees will be suitable for respective fields. Therefore, various fruit orchards will be established, the likes of grapes, peaches, pears, even strawberries and rose-hips. Alongside every orchard, factories will be erected to process the fruits into different kinds of products such as wines, fruit juices, dried fruits, oils, jams, canned fruits and so on. Selected herbs such as lemon verberna will be planted and harnessed to make herbal teas.
*HOW WILL MEMBERS BENEFIT? *
Members will become shareholders in the coop, they should at least buy one share every month, and each share is M50. This means that if one is interested in buying 5 shares per month, the member will be paying M250 every month until he/she decides to increase or decrease the contribution. Dividends will be based on each member’s shareholding at any given moment in time.
*WHO CAN BECOME A MEMBER? *
Any Mosotho citizen with the right Identification Documents (ID/Passport) and a functioning bank account in any of the banks in Lesotho. Lesotho’s Cooperatives Act does not allow membership of non-citizens.
*HOW CAN I JOIN? *
You can become a member doing the following:
1. Paying M250.00 (M200 membership fee + M50 initial shareholding) to the Coop’s bank account [account #: *9080007805930*, Standard Lesotho Bank, Roma Branch, Branch Code 062867]. Payments can be made at any Standard Lesotho Bank branch in Lesotho or via electronic fund transfer (EFT).
2. With photos of your (a) Proof of Payment and (b) ID/Passport ready for upload, then click on the following link to register: https://www.tholoanaorchards.co.ls/register
. Should you have any problems, contact us at: tholoanaorchardsoc@gmail.com or via our WhatsApp line. (+26663629058).
3. Please note that you will apply in a TWO-STAGE process. You will have to select the amount of shareholding you are willing to pay monthly to buy shares. You will also select the time of the month when such payment should be made. THAT AMOUNT WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY WITHDRAWN FROM YOUR ACCOUNT ON A MONTHLY BASIS and will contribute to your shares. Depending on your bank, there may be charges related to such transactions on your account. e.g. Standard Bank account holders will pay an extra M15 per transaction.
* FOR HOW LONG DO I KEEP CONTRIBUTING? *
Tholoana Orchard Society is a long-term investment business, so members should be prepared to make continuous payments. The limits will be set by the policy in terms of how much the society needs to raise.
*WHAT MAKES THOLOANA DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BUSINESSES? *
1. At TOCS, we’re 100% paper-free. So all the transactions are made electronically and through a bank, meaning, permanent records of all transactions remain with the bank and such transactions are traceable. This provides transparency and investor confidence and wards off potential fraud.
2. In addition, the new website will be improved such that it does not only allow interested people to join from anywhere in the world but will also enable members to monitor their investments and all the activities of the coop. _*We don’t just take pride in 100% accountability but in 100% transparency as well.*
3. Operating under the NUL Innovation Hub, we constantly seek to do business differently. We seek innovative approaches to the problem of fruit production and processing.
Join today and be part of the revolution that will transform Lesotho’s agricultural landscape to a whole new level.
