Oodles of Noodles
Hoi An, Vietnam
Impact
Planeterra connected the Oodles of Noodles class with one of our travel industry partners, G Adventures. This steady base of visitors allows STREETS to ensure they can provide tuition, safe housing, health care and social inclusion to current and future students of STREETS.
Students enrolled in the STREETS program are taught everything there is to know about working and running a restaurant and graduate with top International Culinary Arts Certificates. Many have gone on to work at large five-star hotels in Da Nang and neighbouring cities.
Critical Need
There are an estimated 20,000 children living on the streets across Vietnam. And unfortunately, the divide between the rich and poor, ethnic minority and majority, and the urban and rural populations of Vietnam appear to be growing. This problem is intensified by the lack of strong and effective child protection systems, professional social workers, and adequate programming and services for vulnerable children.
Our Involvement
Planeterra Foundation partnered with STREETS International (an extensive hospitality-training program that works with at-risk youth in Vietnam) to develop an exclusive Oodles of Noodles Tour and to expand their training kitchen. This tour acts as a curriculum module for the youth to practice their English language and presentation skills — two key qualities that are a necessity for success in the hospitality industry. Students lead a noodle-making class with travellers and teach them about the twenty-six different types of noodles available in Hoi An, Vietnam.
