Nigerian students hit by a financial crisis make up the majority of clients at a food charity, its manager has said.

An economic crash in Nigeria left international students struggling to afford tuition fees, with some at Teesside University blocked from their studies and ordered to return home.
Manager Debbie Fixter said 75% of clients at Thornaby's Sprouts Community Food Charity (SCFC) were affected students and the situation had pushed it to "maximum capacity".

The university said it was providing support and international applicants must provide evidence of sufficient funds when applying for a visa.

SCFC organises a range of activities and offers food for free or at low cost, along with clothes and household items.

Over the course of recent months, the charity said its clientele had noticeably changed with the majority of those visiting being Nigerian masters degree students from Teesside University.

Nigeria is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, with the value of the naira depreciating by more than 200% against the dollar in the past 12 months.

As a result, students at UK universities have seen their savings wiped out and budgets suddenly and significantly reduced, leaving them struggling to afford the cost of living.
Some have subsequently been ordered to leave the UK after struggling to pay their tuition fees on time, as reported by the BBC this month. But Teesside University continues to recruit students in Nigeria, according to a spokesman.

"Part of our community''
An increasing number of students who come to the UK are turning to community charities and organisations for much-needed help, according to SCFC manager Ms Fixter.
"They're really struggling, they need help and they're part of our community," she said.
Client Boluwatife Elusakin said he has had to "dive deep" to afford the cost of living and studying in the UK.

Nigeria's economic crisis means he is having to spend double what he had budgeted.
"Things are no longer the same," he said.
"I've had to cut costs because of the currency crash, it hit my savings as I'd already budgeted funds to come here.
"It makes me feel sad, but I hope I can endure just one year and all will be well."


Boluwatife Elusakin said he has been worried about his friends. Another student, who did not want to be named, said the university's change to payment plans - from seven instalments to three - had exacerbated problems.

He said students who hoped to find jobs to help plug funding gaps were limited by the amount of hours they were legally allowed to work.

"When I was applying, the exchange rate was around 600 naira per pound, but by the time I arrived, it was 1,400," he added.

"At the time we filled out forms, we had proof of funds to cater for nine months.
"But the money is not enough, you don't have a job or the means to get one, the little you have is depleting and a lot of us have difficulties.

"When you don't have funds in your pocket, frustration sets in and a lot are having mental issues. "Some wish they had never come."

"Maximum capacity''
Ms Fixter said her charity was currently at "maximum capacity" as a result of the situation and called on Teesside University to offer more support.

She said the university had so far been proactive and offered a welcome £500 donation of Sainsbury's vouchers after being informed of the situation, but called it a "drop in the ocean" in terms of what was needed to support the influx of students at the charity.
The university said it worked closely with community organisations to signpost students back to its own support services and had provided vouchers and contributions to ensure the organisations could offer support to students.

"Teesside University remains a popular destination for students from across the world who choose to study here because of its global reputation for excellence in teaching and research," a spokesman added.
"All international applicants need to provide evidence that they have sufficient funds to cover tuition fees and living costs as part of the visa application process."

The university is offering "case by case" support to those affected by the situation in Nigeria.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cljjwg5dw34o

This is how responsible people and institutions give. When you want to give, you target certain segments of society that need those aids.

You don't enter the streets like WizKid and start throwing money up and down. Rich guy wey no get common sense!

When you enter the streets and throw money around, those who picked it will use the money to drink alcohol, smoke weed, sleep with harlots and return to the streets to continuously perpetuate criminality afterwards.

God bless Davido for giving to those who need help in this harsh economy.

frog12:
i don't see anything unlawful with her criticisms. the issue is the law she is been prosecuting with. her legal team is terrible, making her suffer unnecessarily

You people don't get it. You cannot say that a product kills people when you haven't seen the people it killed. In the law court, you will asked to prove that it killed people. She was just an ignoramus who didn't know the consequences of what she was doing. In the social media space, we have many of them and we call it catching cruise.

You can say that a product has a lot of sugar and that it has a horrible taste. Then, you go ahead and write that you regretted buying it. That's destructive criticism, but saying that it kills people is going overboard.

Watianoengineer:
Silent achiever like Nyesom Wike.


God bless Seyi

If you call Wike silent, then you don't know the meaning of that adjective.

Biglittlelois:
Where exactly is it in the law or constitution that explicitly states that public criticism of a product is illegal or attracts jail time?

Can only happen in a banana Republic where freedom of speech is not guaranteed.

Saying that a product kills people is no criticism; it's outright defamation and you will brought to court to prove your case. People of this generation need to learn that.

Enugu people should give Governor Peter Mbah some time. That man has a great plan for the Coal City. I'm currently in the state and can see changes taking place in strategic locations across the state.

He wants to build world-class infrastructure - New Enugu City, Smart schools and bus terminals, to name a few. By the time he's done in 4 years, Enugu people will be begging him to continue. If you don't like Peter Mbah, would you rather try a useless Hope Uzodinma? 🤔🤔🤔

Dr Akin Fapohunda, this is a great bill!

It's only when everyone understands that people have a right to self-determination, we will sit down and negotiate the terms of our union. Nigeria isn't built on justice, equity and fairness, and no country experiences peace when it lacks those.

Allow states to control their resources and pay taxes to the centre. FG should stop building infrastructure - allow states to do that and use the taxes to maintain federal security agencies, immigration, customs, etc.

So this $100-million company that Sanwo-Olu celebrated its entry into Lagos in 2022 is already packing up in 2024?

Nigeria is going down before our very eyes, but the ruling party has hired thousands of ne'er-do-wells to tribally attack and gaslight Nigerians who complain about this disturbing turnout of events.

Look how horrible the economy has become in one year and they expect everyone to keep quiet and enjoy their Renewed Hopelessness! Na to leave this country be the best now and observe from afar.

Tinubu should prepare a bill based on regional resource control and forward to the national assembly to pass. Let's see how they won't pass the bill.

Since 2017, Buhari set up a restructuring committee headed by El-Rufai that recommended that all regions should control their resources. Up till today, APC hasn't implemented their recommendations.

The kind of news that comes out of Nigeria can make someone run mad!

Introducing a new national anthem was dumb, to say the least.

I don't know why political observers blame the leader of the party for their poor performance, forgetting that voters choose candidates and not parties.

You people still take that lunatic seriously.... continue...

mrvitalis:

Because of 20 billion dollars crude? Lmaooo

We are talking about economic growth you are talking growth

Nigeria should take all igbo gas and oil and give us Independence let's see in 20 years

When it happens, you go find another excuse.

Listen, leadership is tough, very tough. You need sincere, creative and hardworking people to drive a people to progress.

Any region that can produce such leaders will be the most successful and it hasn't nothing to do with tribe.

The upper hand that the SS has is that the resources are readily available. They just need sincere and creative people to reinvest it (diversification). This is already happening in Akwa Ibom State now.

Objectivist04:

I thought the aim of all these burahaha is to generate 24 hours electricity. If geometric now resort to band A 20 hours electricity and so on what is now the difference between them and the discos, at least I enjoy 18 to 20 hours here under EEDC

Everyone cannot pay for 24 hours power supply. You people need to understand that fact. That's why in many parts of Lagos, areas where rich people live enjoy steady power supply than those places occupied by poor people.

mrvitalis:
See eeh if we ever have regional government the gap South East would give other regions eeh... E go shock people

Oga, you people should stop boasting up and down. This is the basic thing reasonable parents teach their children.

FYI, the South South region will become the richest region in Nigeria if there's regional government and resource control. Their resources have been used to run this country for decades.

I don't understand why they ate reviewing their fees downwards. That business needs to recoup its investment ASAP so as to encourage other investors to invest in the power sector. Steady power supply is not cheap!

By the way, if Tinubu approves regional government and resource control, he has my vote in 2027.

Those foreigners understand Nigeria so well.

They know it's a country where anything goes.

It's official: a harlot has already used your destiny.

According to Wole Sonyinka, the internet is growing and popularizing a generation of fools!

dododawa1:
IPOB

Boko Haram

Yoruba agitators

Are

Terrorist groups


IPOB Abia branch don price market.

Stop writing NONSENSE and wasting cyberspace. React intelligently to the thread.

Meet the most beautiful elected government official in the history of Nigeria! I hope she's representing her district well.

beerfraud:
Military will have to liberate all these Ibo Elders from Peter Obi’s supporters

E remain make hate carry you enter Aba go open fire in reprisal on behalf of the military. Ezi Ohia!

Regional government is not enough. There should be total resource control. Niger Delta states deserve to enjoy their petrodollars. Afterwards, nobody will blame Abuja for stalling development in their region.

If true, congratulations to Niger State.

I thought the governor would tell us how he achieved the feat because it sounds too good to be true.

11Monkeys:



Tinubu should continue as your regional head. What is bad about that? He remains the best from your South West.

You people should stop making every thread on Nairaland SE Vs SW. This forum wasn't created for these two regions.

Frankiss44:


Even the democrats know Biden isn't coming back... Not even this political sentence will stop Trump

When they beat Trump again, he will start crying of rigging and asking of recounting.

Trump is soo controversial that he used a popular Nigerian word - rigging - to describe an American presidential election. That dude is unbelievable.

Quote me when he beats Biden!

Biden Vs Trump is just a tough choice. However, I don't see how Trump can beat Biden.

Trump is full of drama and I don't see how Americans will prefer him over Biden.

Now that PO has condemned it, BATerians can rest!

Nzogbu2012:
Last month, Yoruba nation agitators tried nonsense in Ibadan. The Governor of Oyo did not wait for any Federal Government. He used Oyo State's authority to arrest the perpetrators within hours of the incident. The very next day, Governor Seyi Makinde destroyed their houses. On the third day, they were in court. Today, they are in prison. That is a Governor! Not this one that watches and does nothing while a separatist group causes killings, mayhem and chaos in his state. And this is the man Peter Obi, and Oby Ezekwesili praised as the best Governor!

You go wait tire. No eastern governor can stop the Biafra Memorial Day, not even the Federal Government. If not that eastern governors don't behave like people who lack direction, they would have gotten their state HoA to pass a bill to declare 30th May a public holiday in the South East. They are more interested in furthering their political ambitions than being proud of who they are.

You people made that idiot popular

Why are you telling us before enacting the law? Go and implement the provisions of the 2014 confab. Those representatives made very useful recommendations.