Messy Bessy started out as a vision to build an environment-conscious brand. From selling eco-friendly cleaning products online, CEO and founder Krie Lopez’ vision became a bigger mission – to grow an inclusive and sustainable social enterprise for women.

Having finished Management Engineering at the Ateneo de Manila University, Krie Lopez is no novice in social entrepreneurship, gaining experience as the former head of the corporate social responsibility program of a global food and retail brand. After leaving her corporate job, Krie bravely built her own social enterprise and in 2007, introduced Messy Bessy, which has become a popular home and personal care brand with natural, environmentally sustainable and innovative composition.

A modern-day CEO, Krie has built an environment of mutual growth and wellness, not just for her business, but more so, for her employees. She established their nonprofit HOUSE (Helping Ourselves Through Sustainable Enterprises) in 2015, in an effort to replicate and scale the social program they have incubated in Messy Bessy. She explains, “That’s been the core of what we do. If you look at Messy Bessy, more than half of our workforce are working students. When you buy a Messy Bessy product, you’re feeding into that system that’s providing these young adults with employment and education.”

Messy Bessy goes deeper into the support process by connecting their employees to suitable and attainable future opportunities. This is especially true for the disadvantaged women in their team. She adds, “We have family care programs that even go as far as engaging with their families. We also offer interventions in sexual health, psychosocial support and financial literacy.” Speaking about the women in her team, Krie acts as an enabler to further inspire and empower them. “These women deserve the privilege to fight for themselves”, she continues.

Krie further shares that the end-goal of Messy Bessy is to make their employees “self-reliant.” She says, “We take note of everything that we’ve learned along the way and identify what is really essential for our employees to be self-reliant. The big goal at the end of our program is for them to finish with a college diploma coupled with a rich work experience.”

The power of strong connections is also a crucial element for Messy Bessy. “Being a social enterprise, we are able to use our network, our connections to build and support the dreams of our employees. Over the years, we realized that so many in our community are willing to help. In fact, there are people from large multinationals who are always willing to roll up their sleeves to help us thrive.’

In celebration of Women’s Month, Krie was named as a “Master Builder” for PLDT Home’s #SheConnects campaign, a series of video masterclass of women masters. Learn from Krie Lopez and other amazing women by watching their exclusive videos on PLDT Home’s YouTube page here.

This Women’s Month, PLDT Home celebrates the power of female connections in a unique video series dubbed #SheConnects that features four empowered Filipinas who are builders, champions, and beacons of today’s generation.

PLDT Home’s #SheConnects campaign aims to cultivate a community of connected women empowering and inspiring one another. This has not been more essential nor timely, than it is today. Amidst the challenges of a raging pandemic, providing a platform where women can convene and come together is nothing short of spectacular. Here, one woman’s success can be the bridge to fulfilling another woman’s dream.

“With #SheConnects we want to shine the spotlight on incredible women who are trailblazers in their respective fields. We hope that their stories will inspire and empower other women to continue making a positive impact in society,” shares Butch Jimenez, PLDT Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Business – Home Group.

Frontlining PLDT Home’s #SheConnects campaign are four Filipinas whose advocacies and achievements are shining examples of women empowerment: Athlete, TV personality and “Woman in Action” Gretchen Ho as Beacon; Masungi Georeserve Founders and Managing Trustees Billie and Ann Dumaliang as Champions; and Social entrepreneur and Messy Bessy owner Krie Lopez as Builder.

As a beacon and role model for today’s youth, Gretchen continues to inspire others to speak up and shed light on issues that impact women. From her days as a champion athlete to now being a rising-star in the news industry, Gretchen Ho is paving the way for women to use their platforms to tell their stories and be brave to stand up for what they believe in.

Sisters Billie & Ann Dumaliang show other women how to be brave about one’s purpose. With dedication and effort, they have turned the Masungi Georeserve into a massively thriving example of commitment to help sustain the Philippines’ natural resources. Breaking away from the norms of corporate work, the sisters took the road less traveled and aimed for environmental awareness and conservation. They are a shining example of how women can become champions for future generation.

Krie Lopez built a business with the heart at its core – love for people and planet. This has been her battle-cry from the very start. Making social enterprise a social responsibility, she has been an advocate of inclusivity for all women by providing them not just jobs but also education and holistic development. For years, she has been connecting women from different backgrounds, especially those considered “unskilled laborers,” to opportunities that can impact their lives for the better.

Championing their causes, PLDT Home encourages every empowered woman to rise up and make a positive impact to other people’s lives through the power of their strongest connections at home. Through this campaign, women can elevate and educate others through a voice that can be heard clear across all generations.

Learn how to be a woman builder, champion, and beacon just like Gretchen Ho, Billie and Ann Dumaliang, and Krie Lopez by watching the series of Virtual Master classes on PLDT Home’s social media pages: Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter.