{"id":54295,"date":"2026-04-04T09:56:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T22:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=54295"},"modified":"2026-06-02T06:58:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T20:58:59","slug":"koto-vietnam-intrepid-foundation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/koto-vietnam-intrepid-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"Dip into a bowl of noodle soup that’s giving youth a second chance in Vietnam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Hanoi, an inspiring social enterprise is giving disadvantaged young people hope for the future, one recipe at a time.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do is from a small village, tucked away in the mountainous region of Dien Bien, Vietnam, about as far west as you can get from Hanoi. It\u2019s a place seldom visited by tourists. Or anyone, for that matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eighteen-year-old Do is Hmong, one of Vietnam\u2019s 54 recognized ethnic groups, and today in Hanoi, he\u2019s politely plying me with a string of questions about my life in London. We talk about the food, the weather and football \u2013 agreeing to disagree on who the best English team is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jovial though he seems, Do is a long way from home. He shows me a traditional beaded bag that his older sister made for him. ‘When I miss home, I get this out to remind me why I am here,’ he explains. ‘When I arrived here, I cried because it is hard to be away from my family. But after two years with KOTO, I know I will get a stable job and be able to support my family.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

KOTO<\/a>, which stands for “Know One Teach One,” has been transforming lives in Vietnam since before Do was born. Established in Hanoi in 1999, the social enterprise\u2019s two-year scholarship program offers disadvantaged youth hope for a better future through training and opportunity. Do is one such youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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‘The acceptance letter says “Congratulations, you\u2019re about to change your life”,’ explains KOTO founder Jimmy Pham. And lives really do get changed \u2013 there\u2019s no other training like this in Vietnam that\u2019s free of charge, and there\u2019s no welfare system in Vietnam either. ‘Without the training, some of these kids would go back to a life of crime, back to drugs or prostitution,’ says Jimmy. ‘But with the training, they get practical hospitality expertise, an internationally recognized accreditation.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program not only equips youth with the skills necessary for a sustainable career, it provides them with a family.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mentored by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers, the young participants of KOTO are also offered classes on important life skills (including personal finance, sex education, English and health and interpersonal skills). The program not only equips youth with the skills necessary for a sustainable career, it provides them with a family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jimmy was born in Ho Chi Minh City in 1972 to a Vietnamese mother and a Korean father. His family left Vietnam when he was two and eventually settled in Sydney, Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At 23, Jimmy returned to Vietnam as a trip leader for Intrepid<\/a> and was inspired to do something about the level of poverty he saw. ‘You see the poverty so visibly; you can\u2019t not<\/em> be touched,’ he says. ‘I saw a little girl crying \u2013 her father was an alcoholic, her mother a gambler\u2026 And I decided then to make a change.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Trainees get their first introduction to the KOTO restaurant kitchen. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The situation in Vietnam today is very different. The percentage of people living in poverty had decreased from nearly 60% in the 1990s to less than 10% today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While widespread poverty is less of a concern, greater economic wealth has produced some unexpected side effects. ‘The kids now are very different to the kids when I first started,’ Jimmy says. ‘KOTO trainees today generally consist of youths who have been trafficked, imprisoned or physically and sexually abused.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focus has also shifted to Vietnam\u2019s ethnic minority groups, many of whom live in the mountainous regions. Some nine million Vietnamese people still live in extreme poverty, with ethnic minorities making up 72% of Vietnam\u2019s poorest people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jimmy\u2019s prior experience with Intrepid inspired him to find ways to connect travellers with the impact KOTO is making. For 20 years, KOTO was a partner of The Intrepid Foundation<\/a>, receiving fundraising support from thousands of travellers. Intrepid travellers continue to support KOTO by visiting the school\u2019s restaurant \u2013 two to three groups visit for lunch or dinner every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more: Hear stories that are helping write the next chapter for Maasai girls and women<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Every day,<\/em> small groups of travellers on Intrepid trips visit KOTO for lunch or dinner. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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As I explore KOTO\u2019s training center, I\u2019m greeted by smiling teenagers, all eager to practice their (already impressive) English. ‘Hello, good morning! Welcome to KOTO!’ smiles one youngster as he rushes past me to class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The facility comprises classrooms, training kitchens, a library, canteen and dormitories. With four concurrent groups of trainees \u2013 each starting at six-month intervals \u2013 the centre has an atmosphere of a busy college campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘It\u2019s hard to enjoy life when you worry about money all the time. I used to only think about earning enough to eat, so making friends was hard.’<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In KOTO\u2019s courtyard, I find the latest group of trainees gathered around one of the volunteers. “Gathered” is an understatement; I can barely see the figure as he is mobbed by trainees all vying for his attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrew, an American volunteer who\u2019s been with the program for the past six months, is doling out handshakes and encouraging words to everyone around him. ‘I\u2019ll probably end up on the staff here,’ he says. ‘Since I got involved with the organisation, it\u2019s difficult to see myself doing anything else in life.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrew has been involved in hospitality all his life, including a number of years as an international tour guide. Despite having travelled to over 74 countries, he says he\u2019s never been happier than when participating in meaningful social work. ‘I used to bring tour groups to the KOTO restaurant,\u201d he says. ‘That\u2019s how I learned about the important work they do here.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrew reminds me that this group of students has been together for only two weeks. ‘I admire their courage. They come from rural communities, often from terrible personal situations, and into a city of 10 million people. They\u2019re a special group of people.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Over lunch in the canteen \u2013 which is staffed by the trainees themselves \u2013 I chat with a group of new trainees. At 22 years old, Phat is the oldest and dreams of opening his own restaurant so he can help other kids. He says that he feels like an older brother to many of his classmates. He worked on a construction site at the age of 15, and then as a motorbike taxi driver. ‘It\u2019s hard to enjoy life when you worry about money all the time,’ he says. ‘I used to only think about earning enough to eat, so making friends was hard.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another trainee, Nhi, lights up as we discuss favorite foods. ‘I want to bake!’ she exclaims. ‘I want to be the world\u2019s best cake maker and know all the world\u2019s cake recipes!’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nhi comes from Ben Tre, in the Mekong Delta, and had a difficult childhood. Her mother has a mental health disability and was unable to care for her at all. Nhi has had to rely on community handouts for everything from food to clothing and the little schooling she received.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nhi\u2019s ambition after two weeks at KOTO is typical of the trainees I meet: Many begin with a desire for a steady job and the ability to provide for their family, but as their confidence grows, their ambitions skyrocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more: How a traveller’s disposable rain poncho spawned a movement to clean up the Inca Trail<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Huong Hanh, a KOTO graduate, now works as the organisation’s foundation director.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Much is also said of the KOTO alumni, the 1700-plus people who have passed through the doors of the organisation over the last two-and-a-half decades. ‘It\u2019s amazing to see where KOTO graduates pop up,’ says Ngoc Nguyen, one of the staff. ‘Many support new graduates with jobs in the restaurants they run and some come back to volunteer and work with KOTO.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current foundation director, Huong Hanh, is one of these returnees. Forced to drop out of school at 13, she moved to Hanoi alone, hoping to earn money to support her mother and sister. Following her graduation from KOTO in 2007, she received scholarships to study business in Australia, and then a Master’s degree. She\u2019s now back working with KOTO to transform other lives, and is a role model for many of the trainees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My day with KOTO ends the way most travellers get to experience the organization \u2013 with a visit to the training restaurant in Hanoi. The newest students are at the restaurant to observe some more seasoned trainees in action. The senior class, halfway through their training by now, are clearly confident in the kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

True to the \u2018Know One Teach One\u2019 principle, these senior students take the freshmen under their wing \u2013 guiding them around the restaurant and showing the wide-eyed newcomers how everything works. ‘I\u2019m always ready to help [the new students],’ explains 19-year-old Tho. ‘They are brothers and sisters to me. And while I don\u2019t have any money right now, I have something better to share \u2013 I have knowledge.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Find out how your travels can create real change with The Intrepid Effect<\/a>.<\/strong> Visit KOTO with a group of likeminded travellers on various Intrepid trips in Vietnam<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This article was originally published on Adventure.com<\/a> in 2019.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

Experience The Intrepid Effect<\/h2>
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View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Hanoi, an inspiring social enterprise is giving disadvantaged young people hope for the future, one recipe at a time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16282,"featured_media":92369,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3344],"tags":[3340,41],"class_list":["post-54295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-intrepid-effect","tag-the-intrepid-effect","tag-vietnam","ipf_theme-food","ipf_region-vietnam"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMeet the Vietnamese young people cooking their way out of 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