motshelo

English

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

motshelo (plural metshelo)

1. (Botswana) A communal fund to which each member contributes an agreed-upon amount, which is then given periodically to a rotating member of the group.

   Hypernym: ROSCA

   • 2002, Botswana Notes and Records, volume 34, page 93:

     Also include are different forms of motshelo (pooling and mutual support), mahodisano (draw-wages clubs), and stokvels (fund-raising through food and drink sales).

   • 2012, Kutlwano, page 15:

     Men naturally are people who do not have many events to celebrate in a year as compared to their female counterparts who have kitchen top ups, baby showers, metshelo (fund-raising clubs), among others.

   • 2018 January 26, Kgosietsile Ngakaagae, “Of Khama’s gifts and sex dolls”, in Mmegi Online:

     If same were voluntary, why don’t they just open a motshelo account, tell the poor cops and soldiers the account number and we see what they get at the end of it all.

Anagrams

• home lots, lothsome