BAGUIO CITY (PIA) -- A former teacher from Baguio City took a leap of faith, transforming her career path from teaching to a successful social entrepreneur fostering maternal well-being and child development.

While her initial passion is education, Di Anne Mendoza, drawn by her strong desire to support lactating mothers to breastfeed their babies to build a strong bond, established the Breastfeeding Care Center of the North in 2018.

To ensure that the center offers the best support, Mendoza and her team went through training and certifications to become lactation management specialists, breastfeeding peer counselors, and licensed therapists.

“Since ang background ko is teaching, kailangan kong magkaroon ng certification on how to be a lactation management specialist, and a breastfeeding peer counselor. So, we got the first certification from the Arugaan, a non-profit organization wherein they train breastfeeding peer counselors.  Then after that, we had our certifications from DOH in which we’re able to undergo lactation management training. As to our therapists, they are licensed therapists, lahat sila na nagwo-work sa’min,” she stated. 

This pioneer lactation support center in the Cordilleras offers a blend of therapeutic and lactation massage services tailored for the whole family. It offers lactation massage, prenatal massage, infant child massage, and breastfeeding counseling. It has expanded its services to include dad-and-baby massage and therapeutic massage. 

Located at the Ecco Building, Assumption Road, corner Gen. Luna Road, Baguio City, the center also provides services in  homes, and hospitals.

Mendoza said that the center is also part of the International Baby Foods Action Network, an international organization that protects breastfeeding workers all over the world.

Mendoza shared that the Breastfeeding Care Center of the North has thrived through determination and participation in various competitions. 

 “We join competitions since wala po kaming funding. Maliit lang po talaga 'yung capital namin nung umpisa kaya we look for several institutions and foundations that could help social enterprises like us," she said. 

In 2022, the organization was the top awardee of the BPI Sinag Evolution Social Entrepreneurship Business Challenge, winning cash incentives, and a six-month mentorship program.

Last year, Mendoza was chosen as the Luzon Area winner and the grand winner of the NxtGen in Franchising Philippines 2023, organized by the Philippine Franchise Association to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

The P1.5 million-worth of prizes include the Franchise Development Program from Francorp, the world's largest franchise consultant with over 3,000 clients.

Mendoza happily announced that with this development, the Breastfeeding Care Center of the North is rebranding, and expanding. It is now called “My Breastfriends Massage and Breastfeeding Care Center,” and is set to open its first franchise at SM North Edsa. 

She assured that the same quality and family-oriented services being offered in Baguio City will be provided in their franchise. 

For all the great things happening to the My Breastfriends Massage and Breastfeeding Care Center, Mendoza is grateful for the support from government agencies such as the DOH, the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, and the Department of Trade and Industry.

She is a mentee of the DTI’s Kapatid Mentor Me Program (KMME-MME), which empowers micro, small and medium enterprises through mentorship, financial resources, and market insights.

“We’re so humbled that we were given an opportunity to join this program since we don’t have any business background. Kaya sobrang laking bagay po talaga na may inio-offer ang DTI na coaching and training program through this KMME,” she said. 

Mendoza is one of the 20 awardees of the 2023 Search for the Most Inspiring Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises in the country.

The My Breastfriends Massage and Breastfeeding Care Center stands as a testament to the positive impact social enterprises can have on communities, empowering mothers, and fostering a healthier future for children. (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR with Venus Mei Caguio- BSU intern)