Another Hand Up--from Washington--to Lesotho

Lesotho is one of the smallest nations in Africa, completely surrounded by South Africa; its small size helps to keep its affairs obscure to most citizens of the world. Recently, though, the devastation wrought by the AIDS epidemic has focused world attention on the tiny country. This blog will report some of this worldwide notice as it may be helpful to those involved in our project.

U.S. Congressman Jim McDermott was recently knighted by the king of Lesotho during a ceremony in Maseru, the capital. The knighthood acknowledges the Seattle lawmaker's leadership on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which has enabled Lesotho to become the foremost African exporter of apparel to the United States. McDermott sponsored AGOA, which he credits with creating 50,000 jobs in Lesotho.