Shortly before christmas in 2004, Alex Lau offered to make a donation to Canadian Aid for Southern Sudan on behalf of clients at the London, Ont.-based Assante Capital Management Ltd. office at which he works.

The last thing on his mind was doing humanitarian work in the wartorn country. But at an informal meeting over coffee with Glen Pearson, founding member of the London, Ont.-based charitable organization (www.web.net/cass/), he did not hesitate. He committed himself to working on projects in Sudan for at least three years.

Lau, an Assante advisor who co-manages a book of $75 million with his business partner, Elizabeth Young, had previously made three trips with a Canadian church organization to do charitable work in St. Vincent. This time around, he simply wanted to donate to CASS the equivalent of the cost of the annual Christmas appreciation gifts that he and his colleagues give to the families they serve.

But this past January — only 13 months after his initial donation offer — Lau joined a CASS team of firefighters, police officers, an insurance broker, local business people, a developer and television station staff to spend two weeks in southern Sudan.

Lau believes in doing charitable work that benefits entire communities in developing countries. Although charitable work can be done right here in Canada, he says, the impact is significantly greater in poorer Third World communities.

“For instance, a $1,000 charitable donation in Canada may send a few children to a summer camp,” he says. “But a similar donation to a Third World community can be a matter of people’s survival.”

The work that CASS does fits Lau’s philosophy. The organization provides “smart aid” that helps establish micro-enterprises in southern Sudan. The profits from the micro-enterprises are reinvested in their communities. Lau also likes CASS’s unwritten operating principle: give me a fish and I’ll eat for a day; teach me to fish and I’ll eat for a lifetime.

The CASS team was involved in a number of projects, including construction of a school, adult literacy programs and training women and helping them set up a sewing co-operative.

Lau helped set up the sewing micro-enterprise, which provides women with sewing machines so they can make school uniforms and mosquito nets for sale. Building materials, equipment and sewing machines were shipped into Aweil East in southern Sudan prior to the team’s arrival. A local contractor has been hired to continue the work started by the CASS team.

“Charitable work is personally rewarding,” says Lau. “Working in Sudan was spiritually uplifting. It was an eye-opening experience to work with people who had been displaced and had come back to their communities with virtually nothing. Yet, these people are hopeful and upbeat in starting their lives over.”

Like other team members, Lau paid his own transportation costs to Sudan and helped to raise additional funds to purchase materials and supplies.

“The response has been overwhelming,” he says. “Clients and friends have donated almost $20,000 so far, and at least three clients have offered to join me on future trips.”

Lau says his charitable work has helped him to bond and build trust with his clients. He credits his colleagues, especially his assistants, with helping to make his charitable activities possible.

“Their support has been formidable,” he says. IE