School children in Nigeria and Sierra Leone have been sharing their experiences of the global economic downturn.

It is estimated that in 2007, £13bn was sent home by Africans. Three quarters of African remittances come from Western Europe or the US, which are already in recession. With further job losses likely, migrants are bound to be affected.

Young people in Lagos and Freetown explained how their education is threatened by decreasing remittances.

Remittances reduced

Agnes attends Freetown School for Girls in Sierra Leone. She receives annual funding of $100 from an aunt working in the UK for school fees and other school materials.

Agnes describes a direct link between the remittances provided for her education, and the economic downturn.

“Now the money has decreased. I think the global financial crisis has affected my auntie in the UK. If she stops sending me money for my school fees, I think I will have to drop out of school."

Salu from St Edward's School for Boys in Freetown explained that his uncle in Canada has been sending him $1000 US dollars.

Salu is worried that he will no longer be able to afford school as his uncle is struggling in Canada and his father has lost his job.

“The family has to eat one way or another”

Children attending Wisdom Brook College in Lagos, Nigeria are also worried about their education.

At present they attend a private school, but as the economic downturn bites into family income they are concerned that they will have to give up their private education.

Toluwanimi is aware of pressure on the family budget. “A lot of things have been downsized in our family and my education is will be no exception because the family has to eat one way or another. If the trend goes on then I could end up not going to school.”

Like Toluwanimi, Damilola awaits tough decisions. “I overheard my Dad tell my Mum that things are really hard and that he can't send all children to the school I attend so some will have to drop out.”

Ayodeji is also anxious about "the exorbitant school fees” charged by private schools which his father can no longer afford. “He is about to opt for a public funded school,” he writes, “and they are not the best of schools where I come from."

Future careers curbed

Pupils at Wisdom Brook are concerned about the state sector alternatives; they see a direct knock on for their futures.

Damilola is worried that the less expensive state school would not provide him with a good enough education to realise his ambition of becoming a doctor.

Adegbite is disappointed: “My Dad told me that if the trend goes on he won't be able to afford my school fees. This would be bad for me. It's by far the best place to give me the chance of being a journalist in future."

How did they do that?

The schools took part in the Cruncharama project, run by BBC World Class and their partners, The British Council..  You can read comments from schools in Africa and around the world on the Cruncharama map.

Read more about remittances in Africa and the global economic downturn from BBC News.

Freetown Secondary School for Girls and St Edward's Secondary School for Boys in Sierra Leone are linking with schools in the UK via Plan School Linking.

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