Although an independent nation, the kingdom of Lesotho, surrounded on all sides by South Africa, is heavily dependent on its wealthier neighbour for jobs and foreign revenue. Like so many other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, any development gains Lesotho might make are likely to be wiped out by the impact of HIV/AIDS on the tiny kingdom. In this first in a series of several features on HIV/AIDS in Lesotho, we focus on the silence and stigma that dominate the epidemic.