Meet Pham: A Journey of Growth at Topas Ecolodge
Behind every warm welcome at Topas Ecolodge is a dedicated team member whose journey is as inspiring as the landscapes that surround us. For many local staff, working at the Lodge is more than a career but it is an opportunity to develop new skills, gain confidence, and build a brighter future while remaining connected to their community. Pham’s story is one such journey, demonstrating how passion, perseverance, and a willingness to learn can open new doors.
Meet Pham Mui Pham
With her warm smile and cheerful spirit, Pham Mui Pham has become a familiar, and much-loved face at Topas Ecolodge. A proud Red Dao woman, she has been part of our family for seven years, brightening each day with her kindness, positivity, and genuine hospitality.
Pham’s Journey at Topas Ecolodge
Pham Mui Pham’s story is a testament to perseverance, growth, and quiet determination. Her journey reflects not only her personal ambition but also our commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for people from the local communities.
From Day One
Before joining the Lodge, Pham, a young Red Dao woman from a nearby village, sold traditional handmade textiles to guests near the entrance of Topas Ecolodge. Like many women in her community, weaving and selling handcrafted fabrics was a familiar way to support her family.
In 2019, at just 20 years old, she took her first step into hospitality by joining our kitchen team as a dishwasher. Eager to learn and always ready to embrace new challenges, Pham soon progressed to a full-time waitress at the Stilt House Restaurant, where her dedication and passion for service quickly stood out. Her commitment was recognised when she was awarded Best Wine Waitress at the restaurant.
Although she had limited English when she first joined the team, she has steadily improved through daily conversations with guests, listening carefully, learning from every interaction, and continually building her confidence.
Today
Seven years after joining Topas Ecolodge, Pham has become one of the Lodge’s most familiar and beloved faces. Now a full-time waitress at Restaurant 360, she is known for her genuine hospitality, warm smile, and friendly personality that make guests from around the world feel instantly at home.
Pham’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and continuous learning. From selling handmade textiles outside the Lodge to building a successful career in hospitality, she has become an inspiration to many of our local team members. Her story encourages others to embrace new opportunities, develop their skills with confidence, and pursue a sustainable future while remaining proud of their local roots.
Our Commitment to the Local Community
Nestled in the mountains of Northern Vietnam, Topas Ecolodge is surrounded by villages where many ethnic minority communities have traditionally relied on farming, weaving, and other local crafts for their livelihoods. Since the very beginning, our vision has extended beyond creating a unique destination but we have been equally committed to creating meaningful opportunities for the people who call these mountains home.
Today, we are proud to employ around 200 team members, almost all of whom come from the surrounding local villages. Many joined us with little or no formal education, no professional hospitality experience, and speaking only their local dialects. What they did bring was determination, curiosity, and a willingness to learn.
Through ongoing education, language training, and hands-on experience, our team members continue to grow both personally and professionally. In just a few years, many have transformed from shy newcomers into confident hospitality workers who not only deliver exceptional service but also share the rich culture, traditions, and stories of their communities with guests from around the world.
Career development is an important part of life at Topas Ecolodge. Staff are encouraged to take on new responsibilities, pursue further training, and grow into leadership roles. Today, every department is led by a local employee, with each team represented at weekly management meetings where they actively contribute ideas and help shape how the Lodge is run.
For many of our team members, Topas Ecolodge has become more than a workplace, it has become a second home. Stories like Pham’s are a reflection of what can be achieved when opportunity, education, and local talent come together. As we continue our sustainability journey, empowering our community will remain at the heart of everything we do.
Discover more about our community initiatives and sustainability commitments HERE.