A New York-based corporation, Streets international (STREETS) has organized a gala to raise funds for Vietnamese poor children, which is set for December 4 at the five-star Sofitel Hotel in Vietnam. The event has attracted a number of well-known celebrities including STREETS Ph.D. Founder Neal F.Bermas, STREETS Director Sondra Stewart, and Chef Robert Danhi. A unique auction along with French food and wines tastings served by famous chefs of the hotel has been planned for the event. All of the funds raised by the event have been designated for use by the school to build infrastructure, improve the learning environment, and expand the scale of the school. Streets International has an aim to provide culinary and hospitality training for street kids, orphans and other disadvantaged youth. It is a self-sustaining initiative with all the revenues from the Streets Restaurant Café going to support the program. Established in 2007 it opened its Hoi An Restaurant Café in 2009, Streets International provides an 18-month training program that follows a curriculum developed in conjunction with the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. After finishing program, graduates will receive an international certificate in the hospitality and culinary fields. The program provides necessary daily living support for participants—called 'Trainees'. This includes supervised housing, food, financial support and basic medical care. Trainees are selected from throughout Vietnam who typically are orphaned or come from extreme poverty, including those that have been trafficked or are part of the often overlooked ethnic minority groups. Its goal is to match the needs of disadvantaged youth with the opportunities in growing tourism economies, by providing job training, English language instruction and life skills education. ((english.vov.vn Dec 2)
