When Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL) signed on to back Mokhotlong district under the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation’s (LTDC) “Re Bontše Lesotho” campaign, it was doing more than sponsoring a content competition.
It was making a calculated bet that digital storytelling, backed by private capital, can unlock a tourism economy that has long punched below its weight, and that telecoms, not just travel operators, have a commercial stake in making that happen.
The campaign’s Mokhotlong winner, content creator Mapele Maimane, has joined Econet’s stable of creatives after his victory in the district competition, part of a broader push by the LTDC to have Basotho themselves market the country’s ten districts to the world.
The partnership is a small but telling piece of a larger strategic logic for Econet; connectivity businesses increasingly see value not just in selling data, but in what that data is used to create.
ETL’s Acting General Manager for Marketing Communications, Puleng ‘Mathabo Masoabi, framed the investment as core to the company’s identity as a technology enabler rather than a mere sponsor.
“As Econet, we have always believed that technology is most powerful when it enables people to tell their own stories, pursue their ambitions and create opportunities. Mapele represents exactly that spirit. He is a creative, proudly Mosotho and passionate about showing the world what his home has to offer,” she said.
“We came into Re Bontše Lesotho as proud sponsors of Mokhotlong, but what makes this journey even more special is that it has allowed us to work with incredible local talent. There is something special in Mapele, and we want to help him take it further.”
That commitment translates into tangible support, as Econet will work directly with Maimane to sharpen his content creation and storytelling craft, giving him a platform to continue highlighting Mokhotlong’s tourist attractions, cultural experiences and lesser-known destinations.
Masoabi said the company’s ambition goes beyond a single campaign cycle.
“Through this partnership, we want Mapele to dream bigger. We want to work with him, grow with him and give him room to experiment and develop his craft. As he tells exciting stories, we also want him to keep turning the camera towards Mokhotlong and showing Basotho and the rest of the world what is waiting to be discovered there,” she said.
On the other hand, the opportunity marks a significant career turning point for Maimane.
“I am proud to have had the opportunity to tell the story of Mokhotlong through my own lens alongside Econet. This is home to me, so being able to showcase its beauty, its people and some of the experiences that make it special has made this journey even more meaningful,” he said.
“Joining the Econet family is also an exciting step for me. I am looking forward to learning, growing as a content creator and using this opportunity to tell even bigger stories, while continuing to show people what Mokhotlong and Lesotho have to offer.”
The economic logic behind this kind of sponsorship is straightforward. Mokhotlong, home to some of Lesotho’s most striking mountain scenery and rich cultural heritage, remains under-visited relative to its tourism potential.
Digital storytelling produced by locals offers a low-cost, high-reach way to close that gap, converting social media visibility into actual visitor numbers, hospitality spending and small-business revenue in remote districts that otherwise struggle to attract investment.
Econet is not acting alone. The Re Bontše Lesotho campaign has drawn in a cross-section of Lesotho’s corporate sector, each adopting a district. A spread of financial services firms, insurers and telecoms signals a broader private-sector recognition that tourism development and digital economy growth are increasingly intertwined, and that funding local content creators is now viewed as a viable channel for corporate marketing spend with a public-good dividend attached.
LTDC acting Managing Director Mamello Morojele explained that the campaign was built on the conviction that Basotho are best placed to tell the country’s own story, an approach inspired by a visit from African digital content creator Wode Maya that sparked local interest in tourism-focused storytelling.
The corporation ran the initiative across all ten districts, partnering with Limkokwing University of Creative Technology to train participants in filmmaking, visual communication and responsible content creation before they produced their submissions.
Eleven ambassadors were ultimately selected nationally, tasked with showcasing Lesotho’s attractions, heritage and culture to both domestic and international audiences. Morojele noted that opportunities remain for other businesses to come on board and adopt additional districts or expand existing partnerships.
For an economy still working to diversify beyond textiles, agriculture and remittances, tourism represents an underexploited growth lever, one that requires sustained marketing investment rather than one-off campaigns.
Econet’s decision to bring Maimane into its own creative ecosystem, rather than simply handing over prize money, suggests a longer-term commitment to building Mokhotlong’s visibility as a destination.
If replicated across the other district partnerships, this model of corporate-backed, locally produced storytelling could become a meaningful contributor to Lesotho’s tourism receipts over the coming years, turning smartphone cameras in the country’s most remote districts into instruments of economic development.
Summary
- The campaign’s Mokhotlong winner, content creator Mapele Maimane, has joined Econet’s stable of creatives after his victory in the district competition, part of a broader push by the LTDC to have Basotho themselves market the country’s ten districts to the world.
- I am looking forward to learning, growing as a content creator and using this opportunity to tell even bigger stories, while continuing to show people what Mokhotlong and Lesotho have to offer.
- A spread of financial services firms, insurers and telecoms signals a broader private-sector recognition that tourism development and digital economy growth are increasingly intertwined, and that funding local content creators is now viewed as a viable channel for corporate marketing spend with a public-good dividend attached.
Seabata Mahao is a general news reporter with special focus on Business and Sports. Started working at Newsday in 2021. Working in a team with a shared goal is what I enjoy most and that gives me the motivation to work under any environment leading to growth.
