In the second part of our NextGen International project, young people from Nigeria share their stories of the climate emergency.
Some have written news reports about extreme weather in their towns and cities while others share more personal tragedies caused by the climate crisis.
As world leaders prepare for COP26, these young people are demanding action to safeguard their futures and prevent these problems from getting even worse.
Writing in the Mirror today, teenagers Hauwa and Lawan from Borno State, north-east Nigeria, remember the destructive storms that tore their families' lives apart...
'Devastating flood washed away my family's farm - and all our money'
By Hauwa, 11
I always loved going to my parent’s farm.
I would bury sesame seeds and beans in the dark, soft soil, dreaming of a bumper harvest.
My father and I eagerly waited for them to grow.
But last year, we never got to harvest our crops.
The heavy rainfall was punctuated by thunder and lightning, and strong gusts of wind.
I expected a soggy and muddy ground afterwards – nothing more.
But, sadly, the destruction from the rain was devastating.
Forlorn-looking, mouth agape, my father stared in disbelief at our farm.
The rain had pounded the ground, dug up the planted seeds, and washed them away.
In one fell swoop, there was nothing left of his hard work. My mother stood beside him in shock.
Other farms in the area suffered the same fate, which is all the more devastating because 70% of Nigeria’s population rely on agriculture for income.
Distraught and disappointed, my father did not make any attempt to own a farm again and now our income is gone.
He had put lots of money into the farm and it was all lost.
I felt even angrier that all our hard work was for nothing.
I do not know whether I will own a farm in the future, but we urgently need to mitigate the pain caused by flooding and other climate change disasters.
I want my government to make a law that will prevent people from cutting down trees.
Nigeria has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world.
If people didn’t cut down trees, more water would be absorbed and it might not flood as much.
And my father’s farm might still be here.
'Storm destroyed my grandparents' home and killed their neighbours'
By Lawan, 15
I vividly remember the storm that tore my grandparents’ community apart last September.
It was the school holidays and my family had arranged to visit my grandparents.
When we arrived at their village in Borno State, I was delighted by the new people and all the animals roaming around.
But just an hour later, a howling wind began throwing dirt and dust in the air.
It quickly grew stronger, picking up and hurling objects.
In a flash, the clouds darkened, and the sky gave way to a downpour.
It rained and rained and rained.
My first day in the village was already ruined.
I waited and waited for the rain to stop, but it did not.
I was so scared.
I couldn’t imagine the horror some villagers endured as their walls and roofs gave way to the surging waters and fierce wind.
The rain did not stop until the following day.
I have never witnessed rain like that before.
When we finally stepped out of the apartment we were staying in, we were confronted with a devastating sight.
The walls of some houses had collapsed, while the roofs were hanging off other homes by a nail or two.
Many houses were flooded, including my grandparents'.
Animals had drowned in their pens as they were tied up when the floodwater overwhelmed them.
Worst of all, several people died in the flooding caused by the storm that day.
Many others fell sick as the village’s clean water sources were filled with dirty rainwater.
Lots of people were displaced, including my grandparents.
They did not return to their home until three months after the storm.
Many of the people relocated to another village, and it took some months for them to return to rebuild their homes and lives.
Today, people there are still battling hunger and malnutrition because the flood swept away their crops and killed their animals.
I want the government and NGOs to provide better drainage systems and health facilities
I don’t know if we can stop climate change but, with some help, we could be in a better position to face it.
You can help by donating to Save the Children’s emergency fund: www.savethechildren.org.uk/mirrorclimatecrisis
