ORIENTEVISION EN VIETNAM CON MR. JIMMY PHAM Proyecto Culinario KOTO HANOI

Mr Jimmy Pham

Entrevista Junio 2009:

En Vietnam con Mr Jimmy Pham, Proyecto Solidario - Culinario KOTO HANOI que a traves de este arte enseñan un oficio a quienes estan recorriendo las calles un busca de una oportunidad.

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ORIENTEVISION: We really would like to thank you Jimmy for allowing us making this interview today, and introduce this wonderfull proyect in our country Argentina.
Jimmy we saw you with one of our most important chefs, Mrs Narda Lepes, and we´d been shocked during the interview, when you were talking about your proyect KOTO HANOI.

KOTO HANOI started in the streets of Hanoi in 1996, please let our audience of ORIENTE VISION and ORIENTE VISION GOURMET, know, how was the beggining and which was the mobile you had, when you thought about creating this space of professionalism?

JIMMY PHAM : KOTO Hanoi actually started in the year 1999. I came to Vietnam in 1996 when I was sent back for the very first time to my country of birth. My background is tourism therefore my job when coming to visit vietnam for 2 weeks was to inspect hotels and tours. Upon completion of my tour, I accidently met 4 street children selling coconuts on the streets. My first impression of these children was that they were undernourished, small, dirty, had ulcers on their feets, legs and arms. but they had the most beautiful smiles, I guess they were telling me just how strong they are, After my conversation with them, I asked them about why they are not in school, what they hope for the future. I discovered that they sleeps in park benches, shower in the river, and worked for about 16 hours a day for 1$ enough to eat.
I was shocked surprise and even humble. so the next two weeks, I organised for kids to have a shower, buy them toothbrushes and pastes, and feed them over a bowl of noodle shop ( pho) and a bottle of coca cola! there i sat each night and hear their stories of broken families and broken homes, broken dreams and broken hope! some how during that time, i had a thought that maybe I can make a difference! I didn't know how or where to begin all I knew was that these kids needed my help and I going to help them!
so 4 months later I return to Vietnam working as TOUR GUIDE to support these kids that I befriended.
I spent the next 3-4 years learning about the language, culture and street kids all at the same time I used the money I earned to support about 60 kids with housing, allowance, english classes and food.
then in 1999 all that changed...
the 9 kids I was looking after told me that they trusted me but what I did for them didn't help them at all... they needed a job.
so KOTO was born from a promise to that 9 kids that I would find them a better tomorrow.
In my widest dream I would never expected to have a KOTO like it is today.
KOTO developed each day with alot of love, alot of dreams come true here and because the kids that society didn't want, feel KOTO is like their home, they will do all they can, with every breath in their body, to make KOTO a success!
This is why it is so warm, professional and love!


ORIENTEVISION: Talking about this young people, which was their living situation in general? When you met them the first time, did they have any goals in their lifes? And what happened after they started being trainned by your proyect?

JIMMY PHAM: The target population are kids between the ages of 16-22. Their background varies from working full time on the streets in the capacity of selling, hawking or working in an extreme exploited places. In addition who are institutionalised ( jail) or orphans, parentless and in some cases their family abuses them.
They come from different backgrounds, yet they share the same dream... to find a better tomorrow!
Alot are too afraid to dream, their low self esteem when the first arrived at KOTO.
All they ever wanted was to be love, have a family, a job to support themselves and sometime their families.
Once they completed the two year journey with KOTO, you see this wonderfu transformation from low self esteem, unemployable and very angry young person to become confident, beautiful, competent skilled hospitality professional. The changes in them are remarkable. I sometime called them my hero, because to ask them to change from their life before and to trust KOTO, they have walked the journey with grace, dignity and so much determinations!


ORIENTEVISION: Please tell us, why you had selected that special group of young people? Did you noticed any first important change after they started in KOTO HANOI?

JIMMY PHAM: Vietnam 10 years ago was much different to vietnam today! there are so many people that lived below the poverty line, but amazingly 70% of the population are youth aged below 22 years old. Vietnam loves its children and on every signs " children today, the word tomorrow" they are indeed the changes for a better vietnam tomorrow. But we need to start today!

ORIENTEVISION: KOTO INTERNATIONAL is supporting KOTO HANOI RESTAURANT and the trainning Program, right? In which way?

JIMMY PHAM: KOTO international was started by me over 15 years ago and an international board is formed there. KOTO international raises funds for KOTO Hanoi each year and maintain relationships with alot of KOTO strategic partners, Like Box Hill Tafe ( who certified our training) AVI, sponsors, donors and supporters.

ORIENTEVISION: Do you think is achievable the goal of replicating the project in other cities in Vietnam? That would be great!

JIMMY PHAM: We have raised three quarter of the budget to replicate in Saigon, we need to raise another one quarter to begin. My dream is to see another KOTO happened in Saigon so more children are being helped. There are so many things yet to do Roberto!
Maybe some kind hearted person reading this article, may wish to contact us and hep us to replicate KOTO Saigon?

ORIENTEVISION: Talking about the food itself, which is the first lesson your trainnes have, the first day of classes?

JIMMY PHAM: The first day of lesson in fact 5 weeks at the beginning is team building, learning about personal hygiene and hygiene in the workplace. We teaches them to settled into their new environment, alot of mentoring, sports and welfare first.At KOTO is not just about learning how to cook, but also about being a good person also.

ORIENTEVISION: Which is the most important dish in Vietnam, we heard about "PHO" Soup and "NUC TAO" that would be beans with rice and meat, right? What would you recommend us when we and our audience will visit you restaurant?

JIMMY PHAM: The national dish for Vietnam is indeed Pho but each region of Vietnam has special dishes. The north likes their food abit salty, the central spicy and the south sweet.

In fact KOTO has a cook book that covered 5 regions of Vietnam and was written by KOTO first chef trainer: Tracey Lister.
You can order this from KOTO website or contact KOTO.

ORIENTEVISION: What about "if you Know One, then you should Teach One", it´s really wonderful the feeling of being one, a special person. That is the dedicated message of your work.

JIMMY PHAM: Thanks Roberto, it started with a simple question asked by one of my first trainee. He asked " why am i so good to him and all the street kids" I was 24 years old at that time and I couldn't answer him at that time and came back a few months later with an answer,
I told him that I want him to be the best person that he can be, reach the goals and dream that he often talked to me about and then once he has become this "better person" I want him to pay it forward and help someone in need. I told him that it would be a much happier person if he knew that one more life breathed easier because of him, then that is how he can replay me!

ORIENTEVISION: You know what, when we first visited your website http://www.koto.com.au/index.php and saw the faces and pictures of all this young people posted in there, we could really notice that they feel "the one", and also very special too, and that is only the consecuence of your hard work! Congratulations!

JIMMY PHAM: At KOTO we encourage each one to develop their own sense of worth and being, their own character because each and everyone of them is special. I am so proud that even 15 classes later and nearly 400 students, I STILL remember each person, their dreams, if they are married, have children and where they work. Because they are too me.. my world!
I feel so blessed to be able to be apart of something so wonderful, a world of smiles and most of all everyday I see the changes in these youth and feel that I have indeed made a difference!

ORIENTEVISION: How can we contribute with the proyect and help you ? and how can anyone do it?
JIMMY PHAM: With the economy the way it is, KOTO survive from tourist and tourism has dropped 50% here. So you can help us by coming to vietnam and eating at our restaurant, you can sponsor our trainees or make a donation.
If you are a hotel, and you have kitchen equipments that you no longer use, please sent it to us, we need it!
and finally if you are a philanthropic or a social entepreneriual, please help us to make KOTO saigon replication possible.

ORIENTEVISION: Jimmy we are very proud of having this opportunity today of talking to you and we would like to inspire other people, to experience this wonderful feeling we have now.
We are very proud of you and your group and we would like to thanks you once more and was our honor to invite you to be part of out site.
For all our audience this was KOTO HANOI, the perfect example of a new world.

JIMMY PHAM : Thanks Roberto, all the best to you too.

Journalist: Mr. Roberto Corbanini Bustos
Production, and Translation: Mrs. Paula Alejandra Dematteis
Interviewed: Mr. Jimmy Pham Web Site KOTO HANOI and CONTACT

http://www.koto.com.au/