From being a full-time mom to a successful business owner, Fideliza Baes-Otayza or commonly known as Fides is not just a loving wife and a great mother of three (3) but also an inspiration to many entrepreneurs to start a business even if there is only one person who believes in them.
Before her success in her chosen path, Fides worked in a corporate world for more than 15 years while performing a noble role of being a full-time mom to her children. Years after, Fides realized that she wants to pursue her passion and be a role model among her children.
Fides loves to create personalized things for her children and family. These include personalized t-shirt, bags, hand-towels, activity boxes for learning children, and among others. The door of opportunity knocks at Fides when she posted a picture of her handcrafted product on social media and her friends encouraged her to put these products in the market. They expressed strong support to buy these creative products. Fides then started the business which she named as Mama Giant in 2016. She initially offered her products to her relatives and friends but eventually, got access to her potential clients through social media.
To further continue and sustain her business, Fides conducts studies and researches on how to improve her designs and productions of her personalized items. She even attends trainings and uses this as an opportunity to find suppliers to her products.
With the help of her relative, Fides was introduced to the Rehabilitation Sheltered Workshop of the Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR).
Rehabilitation Sheltered Workshop (RSW) is a non-residential business-work-oriented facility and one of the centers and residential care facilities of DSWD-NCR which provides temporary livelihood opportunities and works training to the person with disabilities for them to become gainfully engaged in productive work and become contributing members of society.
Fides and her business Mama Giant became valued customers and partners of RSW—Mama Giant offers varieties of bags and wristlets, placemats, cutlery pouch, table runners, table napkins, and apron which are sewn by the deaf and mute clients of RSW. Her products are more often used as gifts and corporate giveaways which make them in demand.
Through her business, Fides provided decent jobs and empowers those who are unemployed. With everything that is happening in the world at this trying moment, Fides continues to support those vulnerable in any means possible. By helping the RSW clients, she is able to share her blessings with the needy. RSW has witnessed her generosity in turning a time of hardship into something positive to help others.
Fides is a valued customer of RSW from 2017 up to the present. The value of the relationship between partners and stakeholders is very vital in business development. By merging the talent and skills of RSW clients and the desire and purpose of Fides’ business Mama Giant, it created an exemplary partnership which produced handcrafted products genuinely made from the heart.
The year 2020 has not been an easy year for all especially to those small businesses which were hardly hit due to limited economic movement, but this did not hamper Fides to extend a helping hand to the RSW’s clients whom she treated as family.
March 9, 2021, Fides and her Mama Giant’s business was featured in Kapamilya Online program Kabuhayang Swak na Swak, in relation to the celebration of Women’s Month. Fides’ story is a story of inspiration and empowerment to women who find their passion in the competitive world of business and eventually, became successful. She is also a perfect embodiment of Juana laban sa Pandemya who does not only think of herself during this time but most importantly, concern on reaching out to the others who need her help.###
