A TINY village in the Republic of Cameroon is all the richer for the efforts of a Bermudian who determined to spend part of his retirement years helping those less fortunate.Eugene Carmichael became involved with the people of Gouria, a remote community in the extreme north of the African region, close to a decade ago.

It’s since been his reward to see the villagers flourish through the education opportunities and improved living conditions offered through his charity, Adopt-A-Village.

“Generally speaking, things are going very, very well within the country,” he announced with pleasure.

“I’d like everyone to know that it really is a massive success story. We were invited into this village that the world had forgotten to help bring them education and we did that — but we didn’t stop there. Effectively, we have adopted the entire village of 2,000-plus people.”

The charity consists of eight members and was borne out of a connection Mr. Carmichael made on retiring to Valencia, Spain.

The former reinsurance executive relocated there from Bermuda at the age of 60 with his wife and their son. It was Nathaniel’s teacher who pointed Mr. Carmichael towards Africa. She was introduced to Gouria while a teacher in Cameroon.

On finding that the village did not have a school or healthcare facility, she used her own savings to buy land and finance the building of the first classroom.

On learning that the teacher, Judith Burnett, was unable to return to Africa to check on the progress because of work commitments, the retiree volunteered to go in her stead. He spent five weeks helping on the construction site and vowed to do more.

“We’ve adopted them in so far as we’re trying to help with all their problems,” he explained while on a visit to the island.

“This was a village that was living as people lived 500 years ago — no electricity, no running water, very poor healthcare. And since then we have brought them electricity, which is something that I have mixed feelings about because some of the old traditions will go.

“And I think they were very special . . . but this we call progress.”

Most exciting was a project now taking place which, if successful, would allow the villagers clean drinking water year round, he added.

“This week, we are at present probing for an underground water lens. We’re trying to resolve their age-old problem with a source of potable, clean water year round. We’re trying to resolve their problem forever.

“So we’re crossing everything we can and we’re hoping that the engineers will be successful because water’s the stuff of life.

“There are times in the year when the villagers quite literally run out. If they can find any water at all, it’s muddy. Imagine after you finish washing the floor, the water you’re about to throw out? That’s the quality of the water they have to drink.”

Describing it as “very dangerous”, Mr. Carmichael (pictured) said the water would make the average visitor to the village sick on contact.

“I myself became extremely ill as a result of coming into contact with that. I came down with amoebic dysentery, which will not necessarily kill you but certainly make you wish you were dead.”

According to the retiree, the villagers’ response to the various opportunities has been fantastic.

“We have a full complement of 200-plus students. We have a kindergarten so that the children are properly positioned to enter into the main steam at the right age. We teach the parents adult education.”

The latter offering was particularly rewarding, Mr. Carmichael said, as his organisation was unsure how the classes would be received.

“A decision was initially made to offer classes on Mondays and Fridays because the group was uncertain how the villages would respond to the offer.

“In the first class, 86 women showed up complete with their babies on their back. On the first Friday, 186 showed up. We didn’t even have room for them. And this was the same group of women plus others and the men. The oldest, he swore that he was 85, 90 years old — maybe.”

Although excited about the success, he admitted such programmes would be impossible to continue without the generous support his charity receives.

“We fund it through a couple of ways, principally from Spain. We receive private, lump sum donations on an ongoing basis, we have people sponsor a child’s education so in fact they are paying the child’s tuition — that’s basically the two forms. The donation are made as ongoing commitments either monthly or annually.

“We did talk about extending the opportunity to Bermudians. It never came to pass but I hope it does. It’s a really, really good news story. Finally, out of Africa comes the good news. We’re very pleased about it. We’re very proud about it.

“We are a group of eight people, a non-profit organisation. We try to help to give the village direction, but we do not do anything in that village unless the village requests it, unless the chief and his council of elders give it their seal of approval. We might suggest changes but we’re not missionaries in that sense, we’re simply helping hands.”

><$>See also Page 20

Eugene helps to build school in Cameroon