Tiko Ledua is making strides with her innovative upcycling venture, Ledua’s Art Collection. With 15 years of experience in painting and decorating, Ms. Ledua blends her expertise with her passion for sustainability to turn waste into creative and functional art pieces.
She has built her business from scratch and personally designed her website to highlight her unique offerings.
As a mother, Ms. Ledua has created a routine that balances parenting and running her home-based business. Her days are filled with activities ranging from caring for her toddler to working on her next artistic creation. “My day is always busy, either I am working or I am mothering,” she explained.
Her artistic journey started long before her formal education began. Ms. Ledua has always been captivated by colors and their impact on daily life, which led her to study painting and decorating in 2009. Her childhood passion for matching outfits evolved into a professional mastery of color coordination.
The concept of upcycling clicked for Ms. Ledua during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside her husband, who has a background in construction, they began collecting discarded materials from the streets of Raiwaqa, such as old tires and baby cots. “From here we started creating art and housewares using waste as our raw materials,” she stated.
Launching her business was not without challenges. Ms. Ledua acknowledges that her path has been difficult and insists on the significance of networking, believing that “Network is your Net Worth when you’re in business.” Despite facing doubt and ridicule for her use of waste materials, her determination and enthusiasm have propelled her forward.
Looking ahead, Ms. Ledua has ambitious goals, including the establishment of an upcycling center aimed at empowering women. She envisions this center as a creative space and a showroom that fosters a supportive community for female upcyclers, enabling them to make a positive environmental impact.
Recently, Ms. Ledua conducted a successful workshop as part of an Outbound Fellows program sponsored by the Department of State through the East West Centre. This workshop focused on identifying potential trainers in Fiji’s western and northern regions, yielding six potential candidates.
To grow her business, she recognized the need for a solid revenue-generating model and a way to communicate her vision more effectively. She participated in a website-building workshop sponsored by Business Assistance Fiji, which she described as productive and efficient. The completed website is now a vital component of her business operations.
Ms. Ledua encourages others to educate themselves about repurposing household waste, emphasizing the importance of reducing landfill contributions. “Learn to educate yourselves in how to repurpose household wastes in reducing and minimising waste from ending up in the landfill,” she advised.
Her journey is a testament to how creativity, passion, and resilience can transform even the most unexpected materials into beautiful and functional items, inspiring others to contribute to a sustainable future.