Booming Economy, Busted Wallets: An Ethiopian Economic Tragedy

For an outsider, Ethiopia seems to be having a blast with its economy. Growing at an impressive 6.2%, it's one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa. But if you ask the average Ethiopian how the economy is treating them, they might just laugh in your face and not the joyous, "life is good" kind of laugh. More like the "this is the worst joke I've ever heard" kind of laugh.  

Despite this so-called "exponential growth," Ethiopia is still one of the poorest countries in terms of per capita income. So while the economy might be growing like a teenager on steroids it doesn’t seem to be “working out” for the citizens(no pun intended).  People are left wondering why life is getting harder by the day. It does not take a PhD in economics to know it’s because everything is getting more expensive. Addis Ababa, the capital, is now the second most expensive city in Africa.