Tiko Ledua is making strides with her innovative upcycling business, Ledua’s Art Collection. With a 15-year background in painting and decorating, she has merged her skills with her passion for sustainability, creating a unique venture that transforms waste into artistic and functional pieces.
Ms. Ledua has built her business from scratch and designed her own website to showcase her distinctive products. Balancing motherhood and her home-based business, she describes her daily routine as bustling with activity, constantly toggling between caring for her toddler and crafting new artistic creations.
Her journey into art began long before her formal studies in 2009. She has always been intrigued by colors and their impact on daily life, which fueled her passion from childhood into her professional endeavors.
The concept of upcycling emerged for Ms. Ledua during the COVID-19 pandemic. Living in Raiwaqa, she and her husband, who has experience in building and joinery, began collecting discarded materials from the roadside. They started this journey by salvaging items like old tires, baby cots, and cardboard and transformed these discarded goods into art and household items.
Establishing her business involved overcoming significant challenges. Ms. Ledua acknowledges the difficulty of her path but emphasizes the importance of networking, declaring that “Network is your Net Worth when you’re in business.” Despite being met with skepticism regarding her use of waste materials, her determination and enthusiasm have propelled her onward.
Looking ahead, Ms. Ledua has ambitious plans, aiming to open an upcycling center dedicated to supporting female upcyclers. This center will serve as a space for empowerment, a showroom, and a creative environment, fostering a supportive community for women to thrive while making a positive environmental impact.
Recently, Ms. Ledua successfully conducted a workshop as part of an Outbound Fellows program sponsored by the Department of State through the East West Centre. The initiative aimed to identify potential trainers in Fiji’s western and northern regions, and she proudly reported the identification of six potential trainers from the workshop.
To grow her business further, Ms. Ledua recognized the importance of establishing a consistent revenue-generating process and conveying her mission to her customers. Consequently, she attended a website-building workshop, funded by Business Assistance Fiji, which greatly enhanced her business operations.
She advises others to educate themselves on repurposing household waste, encouraging them to minimize waste that ends up in landfills. Her journey exemplifies how creativity, commitment, and resilience can transform even the most unexpected materials into beautiful and functional items. Ms. Ledua serves as an inspiring reminder that with a little creativity, everyone can contribute to a more sustainable future.