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

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Looking at the current situation in my country (NIGERIA), were the economy is not that favourable, and which it has created and lay upon burden on individuals including the families, over time now, families find it difficult to fend for themselves, especially low class family who have little or no capacity of what it takes to provide for themselves.

The Nigerian economic today has put a lot of family in dark, where they have to struggle before they can eat, I can still recall how things were in those days were people who really complained about not being able to afford their needs was mainly the poor, but the current situation of the country has put everyone in that same shoes were even the rich, middle-class and the poor have to find it difficult to provide for themselves, in this writing, I would really talk about how its effect on families, cause this is the class were everyone belongs to.

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This instance of economic hardship effect could also be seen in first quarter of the year 2023, where through the government decision, we all had to experienced money scarcity, even the rich who had money could not use their money, especially ones whose money was kept in the bank by that time and this really affected people including family as a whole, it was difficult for family to eat, I mean cost of things was really high, it was really hard to survive, few cases was mention about death during that period, moreover, fast forwarding to today which is a year later, families are still currently facing the same problem, price of things are high in the market, which has cause price of other factors to increase like school fees, rent etc, and this all started from the time of fuel subsidy removal.

• Hunger
• Lack of provision to educational need of their children
• Health or mental issues

Please note, In this content, I will be bringing up real life stories that I have seen how the economic hardship has affected families through the following mentioned above.

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Due to the economic hardship we are facing currently, a lot of families are passing through a lot, they mostly are unable to fend food for their children, just about early April, while I took a stroll around shelter afrique, a young adult walked up to me and requested for my assistance, according to his story, he mentioned that his father lost his job and due to how price of good are high that his family is unable to afford what to eat, that some days they eat once in a while and in others day they eat nothing at all, that the situation have just been there, to break it short, he needed money to buy garri even it was a cup of it, so that he can take it home, in his story he said he has younger siblings, whom their cry made him to go out and that is how he met me, that point I was not with the money he needed to purchase a cup of garri, what was inside my pocket was just 150 naira which I deep my hand and brought it out for him to add with whatever he has to get it, at that point, I realised how much families are going through, at a point if it really falls hard on them, they start going to beg for what to eat which is so heartbreaking.

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Economic hardship has affected most families through which parents are struggling or at most times unable to provide for their children academically, To sponsor a child's education is not just about paying school fees, you also have the responsibility to provide for their transportation, school books and more, so when the family are facing financial problem, and are unable to provide these items, it may cause them to withdraw their children from school.

I have a friend who dropped out from school because of how difficult it is for him to continue, he talked about transportation, that if he is to make calculations that it will be two times the school fees he is paying, also price of food, so his family had to tell him to withdraw and start a business, I mean if the economy was favourable were things would be balance, I don't think he would love to drop out, but seeing his reasons, I felt like encouraging him to continue with his education, but his reasons are true, because right now things are tough and there is nothing I can do to talk him out of it.

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Families who are struggling have a lot on this one, most times, all this may lead to depression, this often happen when families cannot to provide for themselves, most of them feel ashamed of not being able to provide for the family, get stressed through over thinking and may likely lead to sickness like high blood pressure etc.

I invite @imohmitch @godswillokon to take part in this contest