This is Nghia. He is 18 years old , and from Central Highlands of Vietnam. Nghia is living at Papa’s House, PureVN’s transition home in Hanoi.
We partner with Triple8Motorbikes to help Nghia learn this trade, repairing and maintaining motorbikes. This is a typical day in Nghia’s life. Come join him!
Nghia gets up super early (for a youth), between 5 and 6 in the morning. He exercises, has breakfast, and gets ready for his day.
At 7:00, he leaves Papa’s House in Cau Giay, taking buses for about 60 minutes (including waiting time) to get to Triple8Motorbikes shop in Au Co street, by the West Lake.
By 8:00, Nghia now starts his day at the shop by preparing all the needed tools for the coming tasks. Next, he is either resuming the unfinished repair work from yesterday or working on new motorbikes customers brought to the shop first thing in the morning.
He also works by washing motorbikes that are just brought in randomly. At the store, Nghia works in team with others under their manager and a mechanic teacher. Sometimes, depending on the work load of the day, the mechanic teacher may organize an impromptu lesson on a certain part of the motorbike, or on electric wiring.
At noon, Nghia has lunch with his team in the store and, on a good day, has a siesta treat for about 40 minutes until 1:30 when work for the afternoon resumes. How cool is that? Don’t you love work culture with siesta in Vietnam?!!!
Afternoon work at the shop goes on with the similar rhythm. Nghia also has a chance to learn English either alone with Mrs. Gina, or with the rest of the shop crew.
Nghia ends his work at 5:00, catches his bus to get home at about 6:00 to have dinner with Papa’s House family. He said this is the most awaited time in a day for him. Nghia enjoys eating dinner with all transition home members, talking and exchanging stories of the day. Just like a family getting together, shared Nghia.
Looking forward to the future, Nghia plans to graduate from Triple8Motorbikes’ training course this September. Then, he will look for a job at a motorbike shop and work for about 2 years to master his expertise and go back to his hometown to set up a motorbike shop himself.
We at PureVN consider it a joy to accompany Nghia in this journey and hope that his dream will soon come true.
By the way, we would love to introduce our wonderful partner who has been journeying with Nghia thus far: Triple8Motorbikes. This is a social enterprise founded by an Aussie couple, Patrick and Gina, with a mission to create opportunities and a trade of motorbike repair services for disadvantaged people.
Patrick shared this, “At Triple8Motorbikes we believe in training the best next generations of mechanics to serve among our communities. We believe it’s very important that the mechanics are CAPABLE, analyzing the root problems whilst having the INTEGRITY to advise customers on the best solutions for their bikes that suit their budgets the most. Hence we’re training our trainees from the smallest tasks such as washing bikes to biggest tasks i.e redoing the engine…We’ll keep you riding!”
Give it up for Nghia, and for Triple8Motorbikes. Both are doing such a good job!
(If you are in Hanoi, and you have a motorbike, come by Triple8Motorbikes to support them. They are located at 335 Âu Cơ, Tay Ho, Hanoi. Thank you!)
