Lesotho: A stitch in time

Lesotho’s single largest employer, the textile industry, has made a remarkable comeback, setting an example for the region and giving thousands back their jobs. “All the factories that were closed have been reopened - the number of jobs that had shrunk from just more than 50 000 to less than 40 000 have now climbed back to about 47 000,” Andy Salm, regional textile and apparel specialist at ComMark Trust, an NGO that monitors the industry in Southern Africa, told Irin.