Couple help boost African village (From The Argus)

Aldingbourne couple help boost African village

3:30pm Saturday 13th June 2009 in News

A generous couple are helping to transform the lives of villagers in Africa.

David and Janet Underwood have raised more than £10,000 in just two years to support the village of Kanubeh in The Gambia.

The couple, from Aldingbourne, near Chichester, became involved with the village after being introduced to it by friend Essa Dambelly who grew up there.

They were so moved by the lives of its 3,000 villagers that they set up Gambia Upcountry Development.

The charity aims to help the villagers to help themselves and their first request was for a school, as most of the people living there are illiterate.

With supplies donated by the charity, the villagers have built the school themselves and it is set to be completed next month.

Mr Underwood said: “Our belief is that change comes from within. If we try and build a school from outside it is not really their school. But by building the school themselves, they own it.”

The couple have recently secured a donation of 150 chairs and some desks from a school in Burgess Hill and are trying to raise funds to ship them out to Africa.

Next on the village’s priority list is a health centre.

Although the charity has pledged to help the village for the next few years, it is hoped that the locals will eventually become self-sufficient. The Underwoods have financed two huts which can be used for B&Bs so that visitors can contribute to the local economy.

Mr Underwood said: “It has opened up a whole new part of our lives and we are in it for the long term.

“But in the end all we will be is friends with the villagers and they won’t need us in the charity sense.”

The charity ensures that all of the money raised goes directly to the village and none of it is spent on administration costs.

For more information or to offer any help visit www.gambiaupcountry.com