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Jun 8 , 2025 . By RUTH BERHANU

A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight

Meseret Mulle rises before dawn in the crowded quarter around Golagol Tower, waking her two sons, aged 13 and eight, in the single “kebele” house they share. At 35, she cleans homes in Gerji, a two-hour walk each way when she cannot spare the fare. Her monthly wage is about 4,000 birr, or rou...

May 31 , 2025 . By RUTH BERHANU

Elite Schools Raise Fees Sharply as Parents Cry Foul Over Legal Wrangling

Parents at Flipper International School received a jolt on May 23, 2025, when a letter confirmed that next year's “Category 1” tuition will increase to 178,558 Br, a 76,525 Br leap equivalent to roughly 75pc. One father, who asked for anonymity, had expected “a gradual rise” over five years, as earlier notices suggested. Instead, the full increase takes effect at registration for the 2025/26 school year and will remain for 2026/27. “It's not just the fee rise that worries me,” he said. “The school has not delivered on the infrastructure it promised, and teachers' salaries h...


May 24 , 2025 . By NAHOM AYELE

When the Rains Come for the Poor

Yohannes Geta spent two years watching the Wyen Amba River trickle past his home in Bole District, Wereda 11, on the southeastern outskirts of the capital. The river sometimes carried soil and construction debris, which he assumed came from upstream building sites. By late March, as dusk fell on a humid night, that quiet current transformed into a “violent surge,” he recalled. Water foamed over the riverbanks, poured through the cracks in his masonry walls and flooded every room. “The river overflowed and flooded through our house,” Yohannes said. “We lost everything. All of my...


May 17 , 2025 . By YITBAREK GETACHEW

Milk Prices Soar as Dairy Chain Buckles Under Strain

Azeb Asamen sat in the modest living room of her small home near Haile Garment Square, in the southern outskirts of Addis Abeba, her brow furrowed as she stared at the empty milk container beside her. At 42, and with four children to feed, she felt reaching a breaking point. Only a fortnight ago, she used to pay 3,000 Br a month for a litre of milk to feed her youngest two, who are one and three years old. Now, the price has soared to 3,600 Br, a 20pc jump she cannot afford on her civil service monthly salary of 9,000 Br. Her husband brings in 11,000 Br through odd jobs, but most of that in...

Agenda

May 11 , 2025

Debt Deadlines Test the Promise of Addis Abeba's Makeover

Tsiriha Biru, 45, had never imagined that her rhythm of life in Adissu Gebeya, a northern Addis Abeba market hub she had known for three decades, could be broken in a single July afternoon. The mother...

May 4 , 2025

They Worked for Decades, Now They Struggle to Survive

In Addis Abeba's crowded southern quarter, the hum of traffic fades behind SarisAboChurch, where a narrow alley leads to a mud-plastered compound. Inside, 68-year-old Welesh Gessese tucks her belongin...

Apr 27 , 2025

In the Shadows of Renewal, a Generation Struggles to Find Its Place

Hana Melaku, a mother of two, had never imagined life outside Cazanchis. One of the historic neighbourhoods of Addis Abeba, it had been her world from birth, a place stitched together by familiar face...

Apr 19 , 2025

A Holiday of Uneasy Choices

As dawn broke over Addis Abeba mid last week, a convoy of rumbling trucks swung into a market in Qera neighbourhood, each vehicle stacked high with restless oxen. Men in bright jackets dart among the...

Apr 13 , 2025

Trenches of Tax Turmoil

In Merkato, a troubling quietness dominated the usually lively market last week. Shoppers stroll slowly, pausing briefly to inquire about prices but rarely making purchases. Merchants, once busy atten...

Apr 6 , 2025

FLUSHED WITH TROUBLE

Residents gathered anxiously two weeks ago in a parking lot nestled within Noah Real Estate's community, in the rapidly expanding Bole Beshale neighbourhood on the northern outskirts of Addis Abeba. U...

Mar 30 , 2025

CHASED FOR A LIVING

At dusk, Haile Garment Square in the southern outskirts of Addis Abeba transforms from a quiet street into a lively market. Vendors quickly spread their merchandise — clothes, shoes, vegetables, hou...

Mar 23 , 2025

"No Child Should Die Waiting"

Five neatly arranged children's beds lie in a small, dimly lit room inside Tikur Anbesa Teaching Hospital, on Yared St. Each was occupied by young patients undergoing long-term recovery following comp...

Mar 16 , 2025

Coffee Bean's Rebellious Price Surge Leaves Local Market Parched

Addis Abeba's coffee culture is under siege as soaring prices ripple through every level of the market, from humble street vendors to bustling market stalls. Fantu Welde, a traditional coffee pot v...

Mar 9 , 2025

Industries Under Fire from Sheger City's Tax Blitz

A long-standing operator in the water bottling industry, SBG Industry Plc., bottlers of 'Arki' water,has faced operational difficulties recently. A dispute with Sheger City Administration officials, l...

Mar 2 , 2025

False Overseas Job Promises Leave Seekers Bankrupt

Masresha Alebel, 37, hoped to improve his family's circumstances by seeking employment in Romania. He encountered a company that presented an opportunity he found appealing. The initial connection...

Egg Prices Soar, Families Struggle, Bakeries Bleed as Market Swings

Endalk Eshetu stood arguing with a street egg vendor on Russian Street, near Anbessa Gibi Park in Amist Kilo. It was Thursday at 5:30 PM, the peak of rush hour, with long taxi queues as employees left...

Feb 25 , 2025

Farmers Struggle with Fertiliser Price Hikes as Soil Acidity Affects Productivity

In the Southern Gonder Zone of Amhara Regional State, skyrocketing fertiliser prices have thrown farmers into crisis, threatening both their livelihoods and the region's agricultural output. Mulatu...

Feb 9 , 2025

USAID Funding Suspension Triggers Crises, Hits Health Sector, Leaves Thousands Jobless

Demelash Tekesete, a consultant for an NGO, was stunned by the sudden halt of US Agency for International Development (USAID) funding. “It was unexpected and shocking,” he said. His work, fo...

Feb 2 , 2025

Economic Slowdown, Instability, Tax Burden Bang Small Businesses

Tesfaye Hora, a former Bajaj (three-wheeled vehicle) driver from Gebre Guracha in Oromia Regional State, once led a stable life. Earning between 700 Br and 900 Br daily, he provided comfortably for hi...

Jan 25 , 2025

New Traffic Rules Add Financial Strain on Addis Abeba Drivers

Binyam Tesfaye, a 31-year-old father of two, is struggling under the weight of Addis Abeba's new traffic regulations. Earning 7,000 Br a month, he spends 5,000 Br on rent, leaving little for other exp...


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Where the Roof Overhead Comes with a Ceiling on Hope

Few promises shine brighter in Addis Abeba than the pledge of a roof for every family. Gle...

Editorial | Jun 7 , 2025

E-Commerce May Never Be the Same Again

Zemen Gebeya, the digital marketplace that Ethio telecom switched on only two weeks ago, i...

Featured | May 24 , 2025 . By YITBAREK GETACHEW

A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight

Meseret Mulle rises before dawn in the crowded quarter around Golagol Tower, waking her tw...

Agenda | Jun 8 , 2025 . By RUTH BERHANU

WEGAGEN GRAZES FRESH GREEN GROUND

Wegagen Capital Investment Bank, one of the first two standalone investment banks, launche...

Fortune News | Jun 7 , 2025