Majority of those seeking our support are Nigerian UK students – Food charity manager

Majority of those seeking our support are Nigerian UK students – Food charity manager

An economic crash in Nigeria left international students in the United Kingdom [UK] 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.

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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.

Majority of those seeking our support are Nigerian UK students – Food charity manager