jimmy invites you to vietnam
If they made a movie of this man’s life there wouldn’t be a dry eye in the house, because to see what can be achieved by one person’s commitment to helping others is very moving and inspiring. KOTO stands for ‘know one, teach one’ and that’s exactly what Jimmy Pham has done since founding the not-for-profit hospitality training organisation in Vietnam in 1999. Hundreds of disadvantaged youth have benefitted from Jimmy’s vision, passion and dedication and now’s your chance to travel with him to Vietnam on a very personal Intrepid journey.
Jimmy Pham, KOTO CEO and Young Global Leader 2011, is returning to his roots in Vietnam to take you on a very special journey departing 5 August, 2012. It’s an exciting full-circle for Jimmy, as his concern for street kids in Hanoi started when he was an Intrepid group leader and the travel company supported him in his efforts to give these children a better future. The Intrepid Foundation has been a long-time benefactor of KOTO and Intrepid travellers enjoy being taken to KOTO restaurants to see for themselves what a difference the hospitality training is making to these young lives.
There is now only one special departure of Scenic Vietnam with Jimmy Pham on 5 August, 2012. Come and share in Jimmy’s passion and see the ‘the real Vietnam’ with him as your private guide for 16 days. A local Intrepid leader will also accompany the group throughout and you can expect all the regular Intrepid inclusions and highlights, along with a very special opportunity to visit KOTO training centres and help support an incredible local organisation!
More KOTO info can be found at koto.com.au and if you are interested in this amazing trip please email lorette@koto.com.au for the detailed itinerary and reservations. But don’t delay, with only 16 places available on this unforgettable small group adventure you can be sure that it will fill quickly!
Jimmy Pham’s work outdoes anyone else’s in the world that I know of helping street kids onto their feet. He has the right approach in building self-esteem and self-discipline in children whose lives have equipped them for nothing except begging or as members of criminal gangs. As for Jimmy’s cuisine–it’s to die for. I have had the pleasure of eating his food at a conference in Monteverde, Costa Rica and in Ha Noi, Vietnam. He is wonderful man whose own life was no picnic leaving his homeland due to the war between US and Vietnam. He learned to be a chef in Australia and returned to Vietnam to help rebuild his country. I’ve devoted a chapter about him in Burnished Gold: Stories from around the world of resilience, courage and healing after major trauma, my work in progress.