By: Thoboloko Ntšonyane
MASERU
Plastic pollution has become a global crisis, with millions of tonnes entering the environment each year. According to the United Nations, at least 300 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced annually, with less than 10% recycled.
Plastic reportedly takes up to 1,000 years to decompose, releasing harmful chemicals into the environment.
In response, MolHen Paper Solutions is transforming Lesotho’s packaging industry with eco-friendly alternatives.
Makhala Henson, Managing Director of Molhen Paper Solutions said her entrepreneurial journey started in 2022 through the Basotho Enterprises Development Corporation (BEDCO)’s Business Plan Competition. Henson said the programme’s seed financing became the foundation for the establishment of an eco-friendly shopping and paper bag business that has since grown into a beacon of sustainable innovation.
MolHen Paper Solutions identified a gap in Lesotho’s market for sustainable packaging, driven by the need to replace plastic bags and their harmful effects on both the environment and the livelihoods of Basotho.
She continued: “There was an obvious gap in the local market for sustainable packaging that could be used by a range of individuals. First, businesses, second eco-conscious consumers who also looked forward to stopping using plastic bags.
“The impact that plastic had on many different areas of the lives of Basotho. Whether it was their livelihoods, a good example is livestock farmers who often cry out against the plastic pollution that affects their livestock through choking or suffocation. And even those in agriculture where plastic bags, because of their hazardous properties and prolonged decomposition in the ground, often affect the yield that they are able to produce.”
She said the journey of this enterprise has been challenging as producing quality paper bags by hand required significant effort and expertise. With guidance from ntate Jane of the NUL Innovation Hub and technical coach ‘m’e Thikhoi Phakisi, the team mastered the art of bag and handle crafting.
Despite these initial hurdles, the company has expanded its workforce to six youth employees, five women and a man and has increased its production capacity.
Today, the business uses a combination of recycled and virgin Kraft paper that adheres to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) regulations,
the FSC Recycled label ensures that all the wood or paper in a product is genuinely recycled.
While maintaining consistent product quality remains an ongoing effort, the Managing Director said MolHen Paper Solutions is committed to continuous improvement.
MolHen Paper Solutions has received a great response from local SMEs in Maseru, Berea, Mohale’s Hoek, Mokhotlong, and Leribe, some of which have become her loyal customers and now buy their packaging directly from her.
Henson has also approached some retail franchises operating in the country and is hopeful that she can begin supplying at least one of them with paper bags to use as alternatives to plastic bags within their establishments.
The upcoming entrepreneur said she wants to expand her product range through research and development. She has an intern who is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Technology at the National University of Lesotho and is assisting her in exploring how she can start producing her own paper. This would enable her to produce not only her bags but also other types of packaging, all manufactured locally.
She was also recently part of the Kick4Life Climate Enterprise Incubators initiative, which falls under their Girls United programme. She was awarded a small grant, which she used to train two young women in her handle-making process. This is a project she hopes to grow over the next five years and beyond, with the aim of empowering more young women across Lesotho who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. She hopes to help them create additional sources of income for themselves and their families while also driving the sustainable packaging movement forward.
She is also excited about the potential for more people to enter the eco-friendly packaging space so that she can help establish Lesotho’s first Packaging Association. “We will also have empowered communities, schools and individuals through skills and education in the packaging industry. We will also make a significant contribution towards job creation as our operations expand and more skills and qualifications will be needed.”