Huong Lai

who we are

Opened in 2001, Huong Lai is a private, self-funded restaurant that employs former street children and disadvantaged youth in Ho Chi Minh City and provides them with vocational training so they can build a better future. Around 80% of our graduates - about 30 youths - are now working in the hospitality sector, some with five-star hotels.

Founded by Mr. Jin Shirai, a Japanese businessman and a long-term resident of Vietnam, Huong Lai manages and trains around 10 staff at any time. Most of Huong Lai's service and kitchen staff are former street children, orphans, from poor and/or dysfunctional families.

 

what we do

Huong Lai works with local orphanages and NGOs to identify young people to train and anyone interested to receive the training is invited for an interview. The free training usually lasts between one to three years and includes hospitality skills, English language and interpersonal and life skills.  During training, the staff receive wages, which increase depending on their abilities, as well as free lunch and dinner.

We also allow our staff the opportunity to attend secondary or high school, and support them with additional funding, accommodation or medical coverage if they require them. In addition to Huong Lai, Mr. Shirai also supports, through the donation of meals and food items, a privately run orphanage that has been in operation since 1996 and a volunteer class that teaches basic mathematics, Vietnamese language, arts and physical education.