Poverty in Nigeria: Five basic tins wey go surprise you say poor pipo no fit afford

Small boy wey wear tear-tear cloth

iStock

World Bank bin drop warning on Tuesday, May 20 say coronavirus fit push up to 60 million pipo for world to enta “extreme poverty”.

As e be so, Nigeria na alredi di poverty capital of di world according to di World Poverty Clock and wit di outbreak of di virus, more pipo fit enta poverty.

Girl wey dey wash cloth inside doti

Getty Images
World say if dia prediction happen, e go dabaru all di work wey dem don do since three years to end poverty

But wetin dis “extreme poverty” mean? To paint beta picture of wetin extreme poverty be for pipo like you and me wey fit no know, dis na some tins wey very poor pipo for Nigeria no fit afford.

1. Meat

Nigerians like meat well-well, as NGO worker, Mandy Seember Kaunan take tok. Mandy wey be di Executive Director of Selu Afrique Community Development Initiative for Women Empowerment tell BBC Pidgin say upon how ordinary and basic meat dey, she don meet pipo wey be say na only once a year – for Christmas or Sallah – dem dey see meat chop.

For some cases sef, na pesin go share di meat give dem.

“For you, dis na wetin you dey chop evri time troway but pipo dey wey dey only chop am during jolliment season,” she tok.

2. Sanitary products for menses

Menstrual cup

Getty Images

Na ontop sand-sand some women dey siddon ontop wen dem dey see dia menses for some of the poorest communities for Nigeria, according to Mandy.

Access to good sanitary products for women dia menses, na big problem for women wey dey live for poor communities for Nigeria. Many neva even see food chop, talk less of to buy menstrual pad wey dey cost average of 400 naira per pack for Nigeria.

As pesin wey dey work for development NGO, Ms Mandy bin witness of dis kain situation during one of her outreach waka for one Internally Displaced Persons camp for Benue state.

For there, she met one shy young girl wey she carry pad give but Mandy shock to find out say di girl neva see or hear about pad before.

“Di girl tell me say wen she dey her room, she go siddon for sand-sand dey bleed until her menses finish for dat month because she no get rags or pad to use. Di tin shock me dat day sotay I cry”, Mandy tok.

3. Daily Income

World Bank dey define “extreme poverty” as condition wia pesin dey live on less than N750 ($1.90) per day.

But Mandy laugh wen I ask her wetin she tink about dis World Bank definition.

“My sister, even dat amount na World Bank standard. Our own for Nigeria don dabaru pass dat $1.90 a day because e get some places wey I don enta, see mama wey she and her pikin dem neva chop reach two days.

No be all poor pipo dey manage see N750 in a day for di kontri.

4. N20 Matches to cook

“If you carry food stuff give some pipo, you dey waste your time because dem no even get moni to buy N20 matches to light stove cook di food”, dat na wetin anoda NGO worker, Isaac Success Omoyele wey be di founder of Dream from the Slum tok.

As pesin wey don also live in poverty imsef, Oga Omoyele know say hunger na wetin dey wahala most pipo during dis coronavirus pandemic.

But im decide to share food wey dem don alreadi cook sake wen im notice say some pipo for Araromi and Holy Land communities for Ajegunle, Lagos no go fit afford N20 to buy matches or charcoal to cook.

5. N10 pure water

Pesin wey carry bowl of pure water for head

iStock

Di living conditions of some pipo for di Araromi and Holy Land communities wey dey live inside pako houses near canal, bad sotay most no fit afford N10 pure water to drink.

Omoyele say most of dem gats fetch well water wey be free of charge, boil am so dat e go dey manageable to drink.

Dis one don ginger Omoyele to create boreholes for di two communities once im account don balance well.