UCLA goes to Protec Vietnam

Today, we got to visit Protec in Vietnam with UCLA. We were given a tour of their facility, and both the current CEO and the original founder gave us a speech.

They spoke about how they were able to petition the Vietnamese government to require helmets for people using scooters and bikes (crazy how this wasn’t a law before!).

The average Vietnamese family does not a car (like we do in the US), but rather, they own scooters/motor bikes. Due to the small space, and low income, the motorbike is used as the family vehicle. Thus, requiring helmets was key to saving lives, and Protec was at the center of this.

Learning about how they were able to develop strong, quality and inexpensive helmets was fascinating. Their goal to ensure everyone can afford a qualify helmet, and that people will stay safe in the event of an accident.

It was very inspiration hearing the founder’s story, and the CEO’s vision for the future.

I also loved to hear that they actively will hire those with disabilities, which is rare in vietnam, to ensure that they’re employed and feeling fulfilled (their words). They Also actively employ women too (also rare in Vietnam). Their CEO is a powerful woman who has been with the company who has helped them push forward with their vision.