Hoang Phuong Thao

For me, joining Teach for Viet Nam is one way of paying tribute to my teachers and all who have helped shape me into the person I am today. I have been taught, and it is my turn to give back. I believe even in the most unfavorable of conditions, every child is a seed of goodness and wonder. I love being around the little ones, and it’s a gift to contribute a small part in nurturing the good seeds for our country. We have a lot of work to do, and I am thankful to be part of TFV team on our shared journey, joyfully, together. Thao Phuong Hoang was born in Soc Son, Hanoi, where she spent her happy childhood years in a small village school. She did not expect then that she would later join classrooms in countries around the world for her education. When Thao first learned about Teach For Viet Nam (TFV), she knew right away that joining the movement would be a wonderful way to return to her home country after several years of educational pursuit abroad. Thao holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Economics and French Studies from Wheaton College, Massachusetts, as well as a Masters in Human Geography with a collaborative program on Environmental Studies at the University of Toronto. While Thao’s years abroad allowed her to expand her horizons, she always sought and cherished opportunities in Vietnam. For her graduate studies, Thao conducted an original climate change research project in Ninh Binh Province, as part of the Urban Climate Resilience in Southeast Asia Partnership funded by the Canadian government. She also worked with different non-profit organizations on various issues: fair trade, urban agriculture and water management. Thao believes in grassroots movements, and the inherent goodness to be nurtured in every child, every person. She believes education is key to getting to the root causes of many problems. With TFV, Thao is happy to join a team effort to expand educational opportunities to all children in Vietnam.