Weaving rags, empowering people, protecting the planet

MANILA, Philippines - While most Filipinos her age who just finished school go on to become career employees and spend their time partying around, this young woman co-founded a social enterprise that is moving mountains, even smoky mountains.

Therese Clarence “Reese” Fernandez was raised by a single mother who does missionary work. With her mom’s advocacy, she lived in three churches around Quiapo – eating in feeding programs, using public restrooms, and playing with street children who were earning a living for their families or were part of syndicates that used them. These and more are her sources of inspiration as she took social entrepreneurship to heart.

“Whenever I look back at my childhood, I could not help but feel a strong responsibility towards making the world a better place,” said Reese, president and founding partner of Rags2Riches (RIIR), Inc., a social enterprise that creates high-end designer fashion masterpieces and home accessories that are ethical and eco-friendly.

Mere mention of the names Reese and RIIR paints a picture of Payatas dumpsite mothers who earn a living by recycling scrap to make rugs. In November 2007, Reese, an Ateneo honors management graduate, co-founded RIIR, a viable and sustainable enterprise that would inspire and influence other businesses to do well by doing good. It also promotes creative recycling and fair trade.

True enough, the group was able to uplift the lives of the Payatas women by giving them earning potentials five times what they used to earn from making rugs and rags, by defying unfair trade.

Originally, they would sell their products to middlemen but with the entry of RIIR, they were able to sell their products direct to retailers for a higher price.

RIIR, recognizing the need for collaboration, sought advice from top caliber designers Rajo Laurel and Amina Aranaz-Alunan, who taught them to innovate the rags. They transformed rags into fashion masterpieces such as ladies bags and eyeglass cases, and home accessories such as wine bottle holders. Their products are available in high-end shops in Serendra, Greenbelt, and Powerplant Mall.

Not surprisingly, Reese and Rags2Riches have been receiving recognition here and abroad. Most recently, Reese was named one of the five Rolex Young Laureates, selected out of an elite pool of 200 entrepreneurs all over the world. Aside from the Rolex citation, she was also chosen as one of 20 Young Social Entrepreneurs of the World, YouthActionNet Global Fellow awarded in Washington in November 2008.

Meanwhile, Rags2Riches also bagged numerous awards for itself and the country, including the top prize in Business in Development (BID) Global Challenge (Amsterdam, Netherlands, January 2009), besting 8,000 entries all over the world.

A focused and dedicated woman, Reese admits she is hungry for revolutionary ideas that would bring the world to the next level and eventually help the world become more sustainable and ethical.

While she candidly admits she may be the oldest 25-year-old you could ever meet, Reese is still young. She enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures, she blogs, she maintains a FaceBook account, and she tweets too.

On Sept. 27, Go Negosyo will be recognizing Reese as one of the Go Negosyo Inspiring Young Filipino Entrepreneurs in the 2010 Youth Entrepreneurship Summit at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. The award will be presented by Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion along with the Go Negosyo trustees. This will be the second major event of Go Negosyo for this year, following the success of the Women Entrepreneurship Summit last March where 20,000 Filipinos flooded the World Trade Center. 

The theme is centered on reinforcing the entrepreneurial spirit of the Filipino youth by enjoining them to develop a positive change in their mindset and empowering them with relevant entrepreneurship tools and concepts. Forums and programs will be held, with topics ranging from negosyo basics to tips and advice on youth concerns and interests. There will be booths and exhibitors showcasing different products and services that also present business model ideas and opportunities to attendees.

Go Negosyo encourages the Filipino youth to take advantage of the one-day summit, which is open to the public for free. Mentors and other successful young entrepreneurs will be there to share their words of wisdom to those who would like to follow their footsteps. 

The Go Negosyo Youth Entrepreneurship Summit is presented by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship-Go Negosyo and the Department of Trade and Industry, in partnership with PLDT SME Nation, Smart, RFM, BPI Kanegosyo, Mang Inasal, Nokia, Citi, Alo Youth, Vitwater, Rexona, Creamsilk, Belo, ATR Kim Eng, R.A. Gapuz Review Center, National Livelihood Development Corporation, Landbank, Presidential Social Fund, Condura, The Philippine STAR, Folded & Hung, Ever Bilena, BDO and Splash.