A very insightful and critical piece by Helen Epstein, a bit lofty though. Still echoes the western media stereotype that portrays the nation that starves 24/7/365. As an Ethiopian you will be challenged with this stereotype. This happens a lot when you meet people in the west even in class room in my case. My response is usually bold, never down play the fact but share the other side of my country.
I believe the author rightly pinpointed the foremost issue. I believe one possible reason for Ethiopia’s aid dilemma is the disillusioned “we can fix it for you” approach by the donors and government. I believe the recipients have not been considered as partners yet.
Just to borrow the author's own description of this predicament “… both the Ethiopian Government and its donors see the people of this country not as individuals with distinct needs, talents, and rights but as an undifferentiated mass, to be mobilized, decentralized, vaccinated, given primary education and pit latrines…”
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