In just a few weeks since it started, the Tholoana Orchard Society (TOC) has already raised M11, 000.00 and has 33 members! The numbers are growing!
*WHO WE ARE*
Tholoana Orchard Society (TOC) is an agricultural cooperative under the National University of Lesotho (NUL) Innovation Hub formed to invest in, and own fruit orchards throughout the country. Tholoana further intends to acquire suitable lands of the motherland 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 kind 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 every business that will be established by the coop.
Shareholding will be built through monthly contribution at a rate of M50/share, meaning, if one is interested in buying three shares per month,the member will be paying M150 every month until he/she decides to increase or decrease the contribution. The minimum month contribution remains M50. Yes, members have the flexibility to increase or decrease their 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 by simply;
1. Paying M250.00 (M200 membership fee + M50 shareholding [seabo]) 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 or via electronic fund transfer (EFT).
2. and Sending a proof of payment and copy of ID (no need to certify) in a form of scanned files or screenshot/photo to tholoanaorchardsoc@gmail.com or via my WhatsApp line. (+26663629058) in case you encounter some technical difficulty when sending via email.
3. You will receive a Membership Agreement Form which you have to send back after signing.
4. An online platform is being set up to allow for monthly contribution of your choice. The monthly contribution has not yet started
