**SEC17 WK:#4: the effects of economic hardships on families**

It is not a story this days to hear of families whose members finds it difficult to earn a meal each day. All around us we see them, moving about trying to earn at least a dollar for the day which seems elusive to them.

The cost of food and other basic necessities keeps on rising astronomically, imposing serious economic hardship on families and breadwinners.

Gone are the days when only the man works to provide for the family, these days wives are also doing their best to do just that.

My Country's situation

I have just been able to mention some of the difficulties faced by many families. For some that are employed and even civil servants, it is really crunchy in them too. The purchasing power of their salary have been reduced by over 50%.

For instance, just some months ago, we were buying a bag of rice for 37000 naira, but currently it is being sold for 77000 naira (220 steem), that is over 100% increase. For some civil servants, it simply means that one month salary cannot afford a bag of rice.
A family finds it difficult to eat rice considering the current cost of buying it.

Cooking gas is another necessary item that has gone too high in the recent months. A kg was formerly sold at 350 naira which was 1 steem but now, it is sold at 1200 per kg. Families are really not finding it easy at all.

Garri, which is one of the most common food in my country has become our crude oil as it has skyrocketed since the past 5 months.

All these things are increasing without a corresponding increase in income in the family.

So family is not left out in this economic hard times.

How I cope with my family

It has not been easy considering that I and my husband does not have any formal employment so to speak. One thing that have helped my family is discussing about it together and how each person can contribute towards reducing the pressure.

We strive to cook the quantity of food we need at the moment that will not be wasted or thrown into the waste bin.

Sometimes ago when it was too hard on us, we stopped preparing food with meat in my family. I only had to use crayfish and periwinkle if available to prepare food. We were able to manage it as it was not minding. When I interviewed a woman to find out if she could be able to eat food without meat, she asked me if I myself can be able to eat it. I couldn't give her any reply even though I was already doing that. Her question and her facial expressions revealed that it is something that she can't try. She asked: how can one be able to swallow that kind of food? I smiled and told her that a lot of families are passing through rough times.

Families have resorted to eating formulas, one that can help the family cope. For instance, they have 101 (breakfast, zero lunch and dinner), some went for 011 (no breakfast, then lunch and dinner) or 010 (zero breakfast, lunch and zero dinner) or even 001 (zero breakfast and lunch and then dinner).

While my family hasn't applied any of the formulas below, we have felt the effects of economic hardships especially after moving in to our new house. Thanks to our neighbours who were always supplying us with what they could. We also resorted to acquiring only the things we need as family, we don't go for goods just because it is trending. We have taught our kids too about that. We also resort to fresh foods and vegetables that will be more nutritious than processed foods and at least cost.

Sometimes ago when my daughter needed clothes, I had to take out some of my own clothes and shape them I to her size and she was able to have clothes again.

Each member of the family is reminded of the need to take good care of whatever they have, be it clothing, shoes and other personal items.

Further Adjustments.

We have decided to grow some of the things we eat within our small compound. We intend to maximize the little space remaining outside the building itself.

We have a small garden where we planted things like pumpkin leaves, pepper, water leaf, plantain trees, pawpaw trees.

With these, we have eliminated funds spent on these items in the market. Presently, we have also planted maize, planted yam and tomatoes in sacks just to maximize the space. We are trying it out for the first time. We hope it does well and give us big good tubers of yam and tomatoes too.

We intend to try out other methods of growing crops within our little space and we strongly believe it will helps us a lot.

Conclusion

The economy is really biting hard on people. There seems to be no end in site for it. After all , the holy scriptures had already warned or informed us that there will be critical times hard to deal with in this last of the last days (2 Timothy 3:1). I am encouraging families to make adjustments that will suit them to reduce the effects and manage the situation hoping that things will get better.

Above all, there is need to always be prayerful and make use of the wisdom found in the holy scriptures.

Gallery depicting how I and my family have been coping

	my Maize which I planted
	my yam planted to help
	my tomatoes
	frying Garry to help out
	white rice with pumpkin gotten from my farm
	eating a simplified breakfast

I will like @aarliarubab @f2i5 @ruthjoe @kolkamkwan to take part. here