The place of hardworking people, luck and lots of love

THE village of Goed Fortuin is said to be of name and nature. Its name is of Dutch origin and, just as it sounds, translates to the English “Good Fortune”.The village was established sometime during the early 1800s. Beginning as a sugar plantation, the community has stood the test of time and has seen many changes over the years. But the name and its core values remain the pillar of the village and how villagers live and treat each other, being good to everyone.

The village of Goed Fortuin covers a stretch of land no more than half a mile long. It is notably divided into three main areas. The ‘Old scheme’ is the foundation of the village, having housed the original people of Goed Fortuin and houses the logies left from the village’s past. As the community developed, the population continued to grow, giving rise to the ‘New Scheme’. Goed Fortuin’s newest addition was that of the ‘Squatting area”, although its residents have had their titles for more than 10 years.

Today, the village spans between neighbouring Schoonord and Lungden Park and boasts a population of almost three thousand who call it home. In the past, most of the community’s people made a living from the Versailles Sugar Estate. As the community progressed, however, residents moved into fishing. Goed Fortuin became known as one of the biggest fishing communities on the West Bank of Demerara.

Goed Fortuin started off as, and still is, one of the most diverse communities in Guyana, with its rich sense of community woven into each villager after years of living as one. The picture painted by residents of the Goed Fortuin of old is a beautifully nostalgic and captivating one. Places like Ivy Cinema are the regular meeting places for men and women to gather and discuss the village’s new developments and happenings, while the football field saw a barrage of young men and women socialising and indulging in different sporting activities.

Goed Fortuin is what some may call a forever home, as most of the community’s occupants have called it home for most of their lives, while there are entire genetrations born and bred in the village.

Kamala Baldeo is 70 years old and says she has spent half of her life in the village. Although she was born on the West Coast of Demerara, Kamala is happy to call Goed Fortuin home with all the changes and improvements she has seen happen over the years. She stated, “It looks very different. Especially the roads, we have new roads. And today, I think we have more people living in Goed Fortuin. And the people are still very friendly.” She went on further stating that members of Goed Fortuin live well with one another despite their differences

“I am happy living here. One of the things I like about Goed Fortuin is that we are on the roadside and we get easy transportation and everything is accessible,” Kamala shared with the Pepperpot Magazine. Goed Fortuin rests just across the Demerara River. Whether it is due to its location among fellow villages or a culture crafted by its people, the village of Goed Fortuin embodies the perfect combination of a country atmosphere with all the conveniences of the city.

Bibi Shamrool is 73 years old and has lived in various parts of Goed Fortuin for several years. She first moved into the village of Goed Fortuin almost fifty years ago and moved around a bit before settling in the village’s ‘squatting area. “I used to live in a house in Goed Fortuin scheme and I saw some people coming here to build houses and to avoid paying rent, I came here too,” she admitted.

“I was just 16 or 17 years old when I got my first child. I was about 15 years and my husband was 20 years old. I then came here to live in 1972, when I was about 30- something. And I have five children, three girls and two boys,” Bibi shared. The pressure of motherhood and needing to find a home for her children caused her to take up a piece of land at the far edge of Goed Fortuin.

But settling was not easy, as Bibi stated, “Here was just grass. It was a cow pasture. It had a lot of trees. But people cut them down ana built houses. But they used to call here ‘Silver City’ because it was zinc houses.” But the people of Goed Fortuin persevered, she said. “The people here used to work hard and save their money. And they would break and build until they were able to get a new house. They would just work, save and build.” Today, the community of Goed Fortuin has some of the most beautiful houses built by the villagers’ hard work.

And that hard work was not in vain. More than 10 years ago, residents of Goed Fortuin’s squatting area were given titles to the home they had worked so hard to build. “Land and surveyors came in and measured and gave everyone their house lot number. Then they told us to go pay for our titles,” Bibi stated. “I felt nice because I owned a place, I owned a house and piece of land,” she stated.

From the old scheme to the ever-growing backlands, the residents evidently believe that Goed Fortuin is more than a nice place to live. It is a good place to call home.