159 days old and 11k NS.
I can understand you feel frustrated, but at the same time, it's not as though the aid they are receiving is completely inaccessible to you. Join an alliance with a growth program (I'll stick in a plug for my alliance here: VE has an amazing bank program) and you'll watch the same wonders happen to your nation. On the other hand, if you prefer not to go this route, don't complain about not growing as fast as those that do.