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“I think we as a general society should go out and look for those people we can help…    rather than giving the person the fish, teach them how to fish”   By Gary Eleazar  This is a trait that is seemingly desired in Guyana especially when there is perception that this is a nation replete with horrible stereotypes, such as the adverse labelling of neighbourhoods.One such neighbourhood is that of Albouystown, in Georgetown.The Order of Canada or Ordre du Canada is an honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the highest administered by the Governor General-in-Council.Winston Shyam Liaquat KassimBeing awarded this honour is also, by any yardstick, an immense achievement but one Guyanese has managed to gain this distinction.A more inspiring fact is that the first, yes, the first Guyanese ever to be bestowed with this honour, hails from Albouystown.For his significant and consistent contributions over the last 30 years as a dedicated humanitarian throughout the world including Guyana, Winston Shyam Liaquat Kassim, earlier this year was awarded the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian award.Born at 132 King Edward Street Albouystown, Georgetown, he is the sixth of seven children of the late Superintendent of Police, Subaydar Kassim (retired in 1971) and Hajjin Noorun Nisa Kassim.His elder brothers are retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Sultan Feroze Kassim and the late Dr. Sultan Farook Kassim while his sisters are Bibi Fernando, Dolly Dhaniram, Anne Sawh and Ingrid Innes, who are all currently residing in Canada.Kassim attended St. Patrick’s Anglican School in East Canje,Cheap Jerseys Outlet, Berbice after moving from Georgetown. His father’s duties entailed that he served in different locations.Kassim completed his primary education at St. George’s Anglican School in Georgetown before attending the Indian Education Trust College in Georgetown. He began his professional career at Barclays Bank while still a teenager.He rapidly advanced, rose through the ranks at the bank, which led to him running various banking operations in Dominica, St. Lucia, and Barbados.During this time, Kassim completed his professional banking exams and by the age of 22 returned to Guyana assuming his role as Senior Supervisor with Barclays Bank (which subsequently became GBTI) and it was at this time that he began to focus on volunteer work.It was in 1975 that Kassim moved to Canada with his wife, Kameni Cheddie, to seek out greater opportunities.Shortly after immigrating to Toronto, he re-started his career in banking at Royal Bank of Canada as a management trainee, working from the ground up but although he had to put a lot of effort in his professional career, he always maintained a focus on giving back to the community.This newspaper sat with Kassim recently to get a glimpse into what makes him tick and more so why he did not just turn his back on his countrymen but decided to help not just here but overseas.The humble but yet personable and approachable Kassim recently spent sometime in Guyana at his brother’s Duke Street residence, and allowed Kaieteur News a glimpse into what drives him to do what he does.He attributed his humility to his well-rounded religious background as he has been regularly attending churches, mosques and mandirs.When he moved from Georgetown to Berbice, where he first started out in an Anglican School, his family ties to both the Muslim and Hindu sects, prompted him to be actively involved in both worlds.His grandfather on his mother’s side was the first Imam of the Adelphi Village Mosque in the early 1900s.Kassim recalled that it was the generosity of a teacher and how he helped to transform the future of his family through the edification of his father that led to the opportunities.His mother had the equivalent of a grade five education while his father who grew up on the estate had the equivalent of a grade two education.“Having seen the drive and determination in my father, my mother’s next door neighbour, a gentleman by the name of Percy Liverpool who was the Headmaster, saw that drive and agreed to tutor him on a part time basis.”He said that while this arrangement was a part time basis (and free of cost) it ensured that his father was well tutored and caused him to rise to the level of a high school education for which he wrote the exams.Currently the Vice Chairperson of the International Development Relief Foundation (IDRF), it was the lesson taught by Liverpool that ingrained in Kassim that to help those in need was a duty and not a luxury.To Kassim, community service is neither an obligation nor a responsibility and it is more like an infatuation in which he dedicates much of his time and energy.His volunteer work has positively impacted disadvantaged people from all corners of the earth in some 21 countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Chechnya, Ethiopia, Guyana, Palestine, Sudan, South Africa and of course Canada, to name a few.During the 1980s Kassim broadened his volunteerism to a more global stage. International pressure sparked political and social changes in South Africa through the “Free Nelson Mandela” campaign.This according to Kassim fuelled one of his most proud of achievements.When this newspaper asked for a photograph of himself and Mandela, Kassim said that when he did meet Mandela upon his release, capturing the moment for all time in a photograph was the least of his concerns since he did not undertake the endeavour in search of fame or glory but rather it was a duty to help a great man in need.Kassim worked with various groups/individuals to write articles and letters lobbying the Canadian government to support the release of Nelson Mandela.Under the Brian Mulroney government, Canada as the Head of the Commonwealth led the call for sanctions against the South African apartheid, culminating in the release of Nelson Mandela.Canada’s efforts through Kassim and others towards the release of Mandela propelled it to gain world prominence for its moral position.Kassim continued his lobbying by working on the committee for the sponsorship of Nelson Mandela as an Honorary Canadian Citizen.Kassim, through his charitable organisation some three years ago, commenced a humanitarian programme in Guyana where women are taught a skill to develop themselves. These included sewing and cooking with some persons who had benefited even migrating the country.Kassim is involved in work for the Berbice area where more than 100 hundred women have benefited and there are plans to expand.According to Kassim, after consulting with some charitable organisations in Guyana, the IDRF choose to help not based on religion, colour, class or creed but rather on sustainable development.He emphasised that the type of work being done in Guyana is, “rather than giving the person the fish, we teach them how to fish.”The programme currently being undertaken by Kassim in Guyana facilitates some 160 marginalised rural women being given an opportunity to start entrepreneurial activities and to build capacity and self-confidence among rural women entrepreneurs through training.The programme, according to Kassim, is also aimed to give technical assistance on catering, sewing and knitting.When asked what advice he would impart on young Guyanese who feels disenfranchised or without hope, Kassim felt that “education is the fundamental part of trying to upgrade a person’s skills.”He said that the lessons of the teacher, Liverpool, “who has helped my father…that has been instilled in me repeatedly because had it not been for education I would not have been here today.”Kassim felt, however, one of the greatest lessons came from his mother “who instilled in me to take care of the under privileged, but to do so in a quiet manner.”“I think we as a general society should go out and look for those people we can help.”On an international level, Kassim has also greatly contributed to Canada’s recognition as one of the top philanthropic countries in the world.He mentioned that during a meeting with the Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand, she had indicated a willingness to emulate the IDRF programme in other underprivileged areas.