Cherry Huong

I know that for sure even when my friends do not stop repeating the same “rhythm” that: “Huong, why are you wasting your time volunteering at KOTO? No incomes! Nothing! It’s crazy!”. Do you think it is crazy while I am doing the work I like so much? Not at all, right?

Maybe you have never heard of KOTO. The name stands for “Know One – Teach One” or a philosophy of the founder Jimmy Pham – an Vietnamese Australian: “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”.

KOTO is an NGO founded to help disadvantaged Vietnamese children change their life, literary speaking. Specifically, KOTO trains their children hospitality skills like cookery, front-of-house, beverage and other essential things such as English and Life Skills so that they can get good jobs on hospitality industry after 2-year studying at KOTO. 100 percent of the KOTO’s graduates work on great hotels and restaurants like Hilton, Intercontinental and Seraton. Is it such a miracle?

I have been volunteering for KOTO for nearly two years – since I was a freshman. I started to be an attendant in Life Skills class – I was so shy and timid then. At KOTO, I feel myself so small in the huge ocean. Only when I join KOTO, do I have this type of feelings. KOTO makes me a real me and encourages me to be more and more positive. Gradually, I became more confident to take over some other work – organizing Monday Night activities, working with Macquarie University’s volunteers (this summer I am working with the second group of Macquarie’s students) and taking part in many activities. Is it a waste of time volunteering for KOTO?

I do not gain money or allowances from them; yet I gain a more important thing – a better me. That’s what I appreciate the most. I don’t know if I will work for KOTO in the future; perhaps the future will bring me many other opputunities for my self-development besides KOTO. Anyway, I will still devote myself to KOTO whenever I can. Good luck to me!