Provide 15 women in Vietnam with chef training

KOTO has weathered the year of 2020 with resilience and full of hope. In December 2020, 3 months after closing down our restaurant KOTO Van Mieu due to COVID-19, a new restaurant - KOTO Villa was officially opened by the Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, in Tay Ho district, a rather affluent residential area of Hanoi. The support from the local community we have seen so far has been heartwarming. Customers enjoy their experience at KOTO Villa for its spacious and beautiful venue, delicious food, but most of all, for the smiling and positive trainees. 

KOTO trainees welcomed their new home with open arms. Learning new menus and serving a new group of customers was not an easy task but they faced the challenge head-on with the most positive attitude, and the effort they displayed everyday showed how much they appreciated this opportunity during such a challenging time.

KOTO has recently partnered with Tanmy Design, a unique local fashion brand and opened KOTO Cafe at Tanmy Design, located inside the shop’s premise, serving as a stop for customers to relax, have a drink while enjoying the sight of traditional embroidered products. This is one of a few joint ventures KOTO has initiated in 2020 to expand the training grounds for KOTO trainees and at the same time diversify KOTO’s income streams. 

KOTO continues to bring in experts in the field to enrich the learning experience for KOTO trainees, such as cocktail mixing, wine learning, or chef training sessions. Many of these experts are KOTO alumni, who volunteered to share their experience and expertise with fellow trainees who reminded them of themselves many years ago. KOTO trainees get amazing learning opportunities thanks to KOTO’s new partnership with Apollo, under which trainees will get access to learning resources, benefit from a curated curriculum and receive a joint Apollo/KOTO English certificate if they qualify at the end of the training program. 

Apart from vocational training, English and Computer, KOTO trainees get to develop self-confidence, teamwork and communication skills and emotional intelligence through Life Skills training and camping trips. Life Skills are delivered through a series of drama workshops facilitated by a renowned drama actor/director/teacher where trainees are empowered to devise simple plots and put together plays that represent life scenarios. Camping trips bring trainees on an outdoor adventure where they go hiking, abseiling, kayaking, pushing their own limits and learning how to collaborate with others to overcome challenges. 

In November 2020, KOTO welcomed 29 trainees of Class 37, of which 50% are women, to start their 24-month life-changing journey. They come from 18 provinces across Vietnam and 8 different ethnicities, half of the class are ethnic minorities. Their backgrounds include: survivors of violence, poverty, orphans, children of sick/disabled/mentally-ill caretakers, etc. These circumstances have created challenges for them to continue their formal studies, driven them to take up informal and risky jobs to support their family, and might greatly hinder their chances of having a bright future. After a strict and comprehensive recruitment process, we are very proud of this group of young people who are ready to seize the opportunity with both hands. COVID-19 has made it even harder for vulnerable groups and without education, their destiny would be very different. We are beyond appreciative that we have been able to keep our program at KOTO so we can provide these opportunities to our trainees.

Links:

• NHK World-Have the Courage to Open Up Your Future: Jimmy Pham