“I once had a job paying more than VND 100 million per month, but for some reason I could not sleep well at night; it felt as though there was still something I had not accomplished. I rediscovered my aspiration and decided to pursue this community project,” shared Huỳnh Hạnh Phúc, 30, Project Director of Teach for VN.
Huỳnh Hạnh Phúc
The Huỳnh Hạnh Phúc we knew in high school was a reserved, shy young man. After graduating from International University in Ho Chi Minh City, Phúc secured a full graduate scholarship to the University of Missouri in the US and completed an MBA. He then applied for a scholarship at Harvard University and earned another master’s degree in public policy (MPP). By this point, Phúc already had ideas for community projects.
He said: “I once thought I would return to Vietnam to establish a small investment fund following a new approach—impact investing or social investing—providing financial sustainability while creating many positive social and environmental impacts. That dream has never faded, and I will try to realize it in the future. But right now, what concerns me deeply is Vietnam's education system. Having spent 22 years studying in Vietnam and 4 years in the United States, I see many good things I could do, and I truly want to support the Ministry of Education and Training.”
Returning to Vietnam after 4 years studying in the United States, Phúc was offered a management role at Grab in Ho Chi Minh City with a salary of over 100 million đồng/month. After a short time, he resigned, determined to do something useful for the community. In early 10/2015, he wrote to Teach For All, a network of nonprofit social enterprises providing learning opportunities with 40 member organizations worldwide, intending to establish Teach for VN.
“That fateful letter has profoundly reshaped my life to this day. I worked without pay for an entire year and resolutely passed up many high-paying career opportunities, yet I had never felt happier or more at peace. Every week, I had to complete numerous assignments about education in Vietnam, then submit my work and receive feedback regularly every 2 weeks by email and phone,” Phúc shared.
For this young man, the dream life is one in which he feels free from material dependence. Only then can his mind truly generate many “crazy” ideas and have the freedom to carry them out. “I have thought about a complete education that every child has the opportunity to access. The world is changing so quickly, demanding knowledge, skills, and qualities very different from 10 years ago. But education cannot keep up, and not just in Vietnam. To go further and faster, general education needs greater participation from the nonprofit sector, civil-society organizations, and as much of the best talent as possible from every source,” Phúc added.
Poor children in disadvantaged areas are among Teach for VN's first priorities. Teaching English and soft skills to children in remote areas is a constant concern for Phúc and the team.
When Huỳnh Hạnh Phúc presented this idea to Minister of Education and Training Phùng Xuân Nhạ, he received agreement and support. Tây Ninh will open its doors to give the program formal access in early 2/2017.
Teach for VN receives monthly financial contributions from a few of Phúc's close friends. At the end of month 9, the project received a grant of 18.700 USD from the U.S. Consulate in Vietnam.
Much more is still needed, including further support, to implement the project. But everything Phúc and his colleagues are pursuing has created strong community connections because of the project's practical significance.
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