The world has been in a state of shock since January 2020. Every corner of the globe is struggling to survive the health and economic impacts of the Coronavirus. Ethiopia is already experiencing the brunt of the virus as it reports a fall in economic growth and bankruptcy of several private companies. The most powerful states in the world that were perceived to have economic prowess, developed health system and educated society were apparently not ready for a challenge like the Coronavirus. Supply gaps in essential medical equipment showed their neglect of the most basic products; their health systems were simply overwhelmed by the large amount of cases coming in and their educated population proved to be undisciplined and not so smart after all.

Coronavirus disrupted everything. It has altered the way people work, communicate and get basic services. It has also killed businesses, leading to loss of thousands of jobs. However, not everyone lost. Some, in fact, are capitalizing on the new realities under the pandemic. Taxi hailing companies, delivery service providers, producers of sanitizers, mobile money operators and mobile retailers are among a few of the businesses that cater to the changing demands of customers. EBR’s Kiya Ali explores.