“Know One, Teach One” is the motto adopted by Jimmy Pham, who opened a humanitarian vocational training centre for homeless children in Hanoi in 1996.
The Aussie of Vietnamese origin travelled back and forth between the two countries during his career in the hospitality industry and had many chances to see with his own eyes the hard life suffered by Vietnamese street children. His difficult childhood has inspired the 39-year-old Pham to show empathy with these disadvantaged children.
“I would like to make something new, for the children to have a brighter future,” he told Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper.
Difficulties could not stop the Overseas Vietnamese from opening a humanitarian vocational training and culinary arts centre named KOTO - initials for “Know One, Teach One”.
KOTO provides street children with free 24-month training courses in cooking skills, service styles and communication English. In addition, they are equipped with knowledge and skills for community integration.
His Hanoi-based centre now houses some 50 street children aged between 16 and 22 years old, who will have the opportunity to practice what they are taught at two KOTO restaurants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City .
Pham said he had resorted to all means necessary to raise funds for the centre’s operations, which cost 200 USD per young person each month. As many as 500 street children have benefited from training at KOTO, which was the first community interest company (CIC) in Vietnam , back in 1996.
He added that he was thinking of bringing the idea to other countries outside of Vietnam , such as Cambodia , Brazil and Kenya .
“All I would like to do is to help others,” confided the kind-hearted man of Vietnamese origin./.
The Aussie of Vietnamese origin travelled back and forth between the two countries during his career in the hospitality industry and had many chances to see with his own eyes the hard life suffered by Vietnamese street children. His difficult childhood has inspired the 39-year-old Pham to show empathy with these disadvantaged children.
“I would like to make something new, for the children to have a brighter future,” he told Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper.
Difficulties could not stop the Overseas Vietnamese from opening a humanitarian vocational training and culinary arts centre named KOTO - initials for “Know One, Teach One”.
KOTO provides street children with free 24-month training courses in cooking skills, service styles and communication English. In addition, they are equipped with knowledge and skills for community integration.
His Hanoi-based centre now houses some 50 street children aged between 16 and 22 years old, who will have the opportunity to practice what they are taught at two KOTO restaurants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City .
Pham said he had resorted to all means necessary to raise funds for the centre’s operations, which cost 200 USD per young person each month. As many as 500 street children have benefited from training at KOTO, which was the first community interest company (CIC) in Vietnam , back in 1996.
He added that he was thinking of bringing the idea to other countries outside of Vietnam , such as Cambodia , Brazil and Kenya .
“All I would like to do is to help others,” confided the kind-hearted man of Vietnamese origin./.
