Spirit of Adventure

Recently, Peregrine sponsored a field trip for the dedicated trainees at KOTO restaurant – KOTO stands for ‘Know One, Teach One’ and is a restaurant in Hanoi that provides vocational training and hospitality experience to underprivileged youth.

The trainees had a challenging and enjoyable time on this year’s KOTO field trip which included visits to Hoi An, Hue, Marble Mountain, and many for exciting destinations. For many of the trainees the field trip is the first time they have travelled outside of the Hanoi region, and the first time they have been to the beach. Activities included a talent show where both trainees and staff act, sing and dance together.

“The aim is to put the trainees in both challenging and educational situations, while still allowing them to have a great time along the way,” said KOTO founder and International CEO, Mr Jimmy Pham.

“Every year I see the trainees’ self-confidence grow so much after the field trip because they’re doing new and challenging things in a foreign environment. The field trip would not have been possible without the generous support of Peregrine and we thank them for their efforts. KOTO immensely values the wonderful relationship it has with Peregrine and looks forward to it continuing into the future,” said Mr Pham.

Visit our website to find a Vietnamese adventure that visits the incredible KOTO restaurant.

The cocktails will be flowing this May to celebrate KOTO students completing their training program at the KOTO restaurant in Hanoi, Vietnam. Join Peregrine and Box Hill Institute for a very special evening to support the work of KOTO and celebrate the graduation. KOTO founder and CEO, Jimmy Pham, will be there, along with a KOTO graduate, so you can hear first-hand about the great work that KOTO is doing.

KOTO (Know One Teach One) is a not-for-profit restaurant and vocational training program for street and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam (www.koto.com.au). With a 100% employment rate for graduates, KOTO trainees are supported through a two-year, internationally-accredited hospitality, English language and life skills program. One way Peregrine provides support to KOTO is by visiting the restaurant on all of our trips that visit Hanoi — offering real experience to students and income to this venture.

During the cocktail evening we’ll be auctioning a Peregrine Glimpse of Vietnam trip for two in Vietnam (international airfares not included) and the money raised will be used to fund the annual field trip for KOTO students. We hope you can join us to help this worthwhile project.

Melbourne KOTO Cocktail Fundraiser
Where Life Saving Victoria, Port Melbourne Yacht Club
When 26 May
For more information about this event please contact: cynthia@koto.com.au

“The greatest accomplishment for the person who has helped you, is to see you stand on your own two feet and then in turn help someone else that reminds you of yourself, because “if you Know One, then you should Teach One.”

Mr Jimmy Pham, KOTO Founder and Director

It is these words that emblazon the cover of the restaurant in the Dong Da district of Hanoi in Vietnam. Powerful words indeed, especially when you’ve just come for a hotpot and noodles!

We’re sitting in KOTO Restaurant, which is a forerunner to Jamie Oliver’s ‘Fifteen’ concept. Jimmy Pham, the founder and director, opened the restaurant in 1996 to help street kids develop a profession and break the poverty cycle. The concept is to train street kids in hospitality and English and enable them to work within the hospitality business in Vietnam. From chefs to busboys and waiters to barmen, all of the employees at KOTO are former street kids who’ve now been given another chance by Jimmy Pham.

Peregrine is extremely proud to support KOTO, and every Peregrine group that visits Hanoi enjoys a meal at the restaurant. It is exactly the type of support that is needed; paying customers eating the fruits of Jimmy’s labour, and encouraging sustainable tourism for now and the future.
KOTO

And the food is fantastic too: we dined on traditional Vietnamese hotpot, rice paper rolls, ginger snapper and an out-of-this-world lime and coconut smoothie.

Every client who travels with Peregrine to Hanoi gets a chance to eat at KOTO restaurant and support this fantastic venture. We are looking forward to increasing our donations to KOTO in the near future with the establishment of the Peregrine Community Trust.

If you are looking to really experience a country and immerse yourself in its culture, it can be very challenging when travelling with kids. David Gibbons, father of two young boys, Sam, 12, and Harry, nine, was recently interviewed by Australia’s leading family travel magazine, Holidays with Kids, about his family’s time away with Peregrine.

David says he was attracted to Peregrine’s family adventures by the opportunity to share an adventurous holiday with his boys. They initially chose to travel on Peregrine’s 14-day Vietnam Coastal Explorer, which took them to bustling Saigon, the Mekong Delta, Nha Trang’s offshore islands, ancient Hoi An, French-colonial Hanoi and Halong Bay. Action packed days for the family included boat cruising, snorkelling, cooking class, water puppet show and an overnight stay with a local family.

The Gibbons enjoyed their adventure in Vietnam so much that they joined Peregrine’s Inca Explorer in Peru that same year. Exploring the Sacred Valley and visiting the Machu Picchu ruins were among the highlights for the family. A recent addition to this itinerary is a visit to the Peru’s Challenge Community Project, dedicated to helping some of Peru’s poorest children, which is a poignant and important experience for parents and kids alike.

According to David, both trips introduced the kids to some amazing cultures. The bonus, he says, was that he didn’t have to organise the travel and accommodation. He believes that both tours were excellent value for money; in fact he found them cheaper than similar holidays within Australia. He also appreciated that the accommodation was in distinctive local properties that gave his family a real insight into the country. Harry and Sam loved travelling with the other children on the tour, as there was always someone with whom to spend time.

David also spoke highly of the local guides, saying they were great with the kids and able to amuse the youngsters during any dull moments. David says that the next stop for his adventurous family is Egypt and the pyramids.