With the theme of IDEA—Inspiration, Direction, Execution, Appreciation— and featuring an international line up of 15 guest speakers, this year’s TedX Ba Dinh was always going to be an exciting event. The full day program of TED’s famous 18 minute talks, plus art exhibits, workshops, meeting and networking spaces, was the perfect space for Mr Jimmy to talk about his work in social enterprises generally, and KOTO specifically.
TEDx Ba Dinh 2017
Opening his presentation with the analogy about teaching men and women to fish, Mr Jimmy spoke about social entrepreneurs being the revolutionaries and disrupters of the fishing industry and then need to turning it on its head. Mr Jimmy then spoke about the KOTO approach to training: building a family rather than a school.
After his return to Vietnam in his 20s and driven to do something positive to change the lives of street children, Mr Jimmy told the rapt 350-strong audience members that: “I didn’t know very much, but one thing I did know that was I wanted to not build a school; I wanted to build a family.”
Mr Jimmy then went on to talk about KOTO’s training model, and the importance of KOTO alumni to the sense of family that has been created. Using this approach, KOTO is more than training and job placements, and all alumni “Know One, Teach One”.
With KOTO being the first social enterprise recognised by the Vietnamese government, the future is limitless and could even include KOTO hotels and resorts, HR agency for F&B placements, and KOTO school.
Jimmy Pham with other guest speaker of TEDx Ba Dinh 2017
And it’s with this vision that Mr Jimmy is revolutionising the “fishing industry”.