In Vietnam, out of a population of about 90 million people, 7.5 million suffer from some disability; of these, about 1.7 million are minors. Many of these disabilities are the result of chemical weapons used during the war in Vietnam, as, for example, the infamous Orange Agent.
Today, however, there are also opportunities to be seized: Ho Chi Minh City, for example, is home to fifty 4 or 5 star hotels, and hundreds of restaurants with different and interesting culinary offerings.
Francis Van Hoi is a Vietnamese living in Germany, a past pupil of the Salesians, who maintains close ties with his homeland. Always concerned about the young people of Vietnam and the lack of opportunities, he has managed to make his dream a reality. With the support of the Salesians and other organizations, he has managed to open a bakery-school, where young people with disabilities can learn the trade, and so open up a road for the future.
The bakery-school was opened this summer, but in the city there was already a cookery and catering school for vulnerable young people, offering high quality training to the students. "We always have a lot of requests from companies and hotels that rely on our training because we do not teach only a job, but we serve the students in their entirety, in business protocol, civic education, hygiene etc." says Mr Van Hoi.
In this way, bread can also become a sign of hope for the future of young Vietnamese.
