The Lana Learn team celebrates International Women’s Day by recognizing some of the women involved in our English language training program at Unit 871.
International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. Since Lana Learn is a women and minority-owned business, we jump at any chance to recognize and celebrate women.
Our English language training program takes place at Unit 871 military base in Hanoi. We would like to take this opportunity to shine the spotlight on some of the women that make this program possible.
Lisa Garsson – Lana Learn
Lisa is in charge of the Lana Learn Language Lab and program operations at Unit 871. Originally from the US, she has been in Vietnam for almost seven years. In addition to working for Lana Learn, Lisa is a co-founder of a company that runs off-road motorbike adventures twice a year. She has been part of the off-road riding community in Vietnam for the past five year. She strives to get more women involved in riding. In a sport dominated by men, she creates space for women by offering riding lessons and maintenance workshops.
Ha Dau – The Online Management Training Company (OMT)
Ms. Ha is a Vietnamese tech and education entrepreneur. She is a co-founder of The Online Management Training Company (OMT) and KidsOnline. Ms. Ha played an integral part in helping the Lana Learn team set up the Unit 871 project. She’s assisted with the language lab refurbish, staff visas, and Vietnam partner communications. Here’s what Ms. Ha has to say about working in the tech industry.
As I was one of the earliest staff of Hewlett-Packard in Vietnam back in 1996, when Internet was very much a luxury in Vietnam, it did not take me long to realize the life-transforming power of technology. And I am lucky to live in Vietnam, a country with high level of Internet and smart phone penetration, with pretty good infrastructure for tech-enabled business to root and take off. I am also lucky to have co-founders and team who are also as passionate about technology (specifically edtech) as I am. However, it does take me and my team multiple times of failures and pivoting before we can reach to where we are today – a trusted provider of operations management platform to kindergartens, K-12 schools and tutroring centers in Vietnam, branching out to South East Asia.
Looking back, I realise that when it comes to my passion and the goals I want to achieve, I tend to forget that I am a woman – in a good way! Gender should not interfere with one’s determination of doing what one likes and getting to where he/she wants to be.
– Ha Dau, OMT
Nguyen Thi Van Anh – Unit 871
Sublieutenant Van Anh is one of the students in the English language training program at Unit 871. Out of 42 total students in our program this semester, she is the only female student. Her parents advised her to join the military in 2014. Her reasons for staying in the military are the insurance benefits as well as the work environment. She describes her superiors and colleagues as supportive and friendly. She works in information technology (IT) and plans to get her master’s degree in the near future.
Currently, she is in Class Bravo, and her instructor, Cedric, has been nothing short of impressed by her.
Van Anh is an excellent officer and the only woman in our class. She is a hard worker with a good demeanor.
She does not back down from a challenge and is highly regarded by her peers, not only because she is a woman, but also because she is resilient, always maintains a calm demeanor, and serves as a great example for all.
She is a phenomenal learner, and I anticipate her rapid advancement in the coming years.
– Cedric Chigome, Lana Learn Instructor
