Tiko Ledua is headed onward and upwards with her innovative upcycling business, Ledua's Art Collection. Ms. Ledua has a background in Painting and Decorating, which spans 15 years, and she has combined this expertise with her passion for sustainability to create a unique business that transforms waste into creative and useful pieces. Not only has she built her business from the ground up, but she also designed and developed her website to showcase her unique products.
A Day in the Life
"Being a mother comes first," Ms. Ledua shares warmly. Her days are a balance between motherhood and managing her home-based business. From tending to her toddler to crafting her next masterpiece, Ms. Ledua's days are full of activity. "My day is always busy, either I am working or I am mothering," she shares.
The Creative Journey
Ms. Ledua's journey into the world of art began long before her professional studies. "Before studying painting and decorating in 2009, I was always fascinated by the wonders of colours and their effect on our everyday life," she recalls. This fascination drove her from matching outfits as a child to mastering colour coordination in her professional work.
Caption: Ms. Ledua recently held a workshop to identify potential upcycling trainers in the West
Discovering Upcycling
The idea of incorporating upcycling into her art struck Ms. Ledua during the COVID-19 pandemic. Living in Raiwaqa, she and her husband, who has a background in building and joinery, started collecting waste materials from the roadside. "We began our new journey of upcycling from literally picking whatever waste we could find, like old tires, baby cots, and cardboard," Ms. Ledua explains. “From here we started creating art and housewares using waste as our raw materials”.
Building a Business
Turning her skills into a business was a challenging feat. "It was never easy and it still isn't!" Ms. Ledua admits. She believes strongly in the power of networking, asserting that "Network is your Net Worth when you're in business." Despite facing scepticism and mockery for using waste as raw materials, her persistence and passion have kept her moving forward.
Future Plans
Ms. Ledua has ambitious plans for her business. "We are working and planning on opening an upcycling centre where we provide a platform for women upcyclers," she shares. This centre will serve as a place for empowerment, a showroom, and a safe space to create art. Her vision is to create a supportive community where women can thrive and positively impact the environment.
Recent Success
Ms. Ledua recently hosted a successful workshop as part of an Outbound Fellows program sponsored by the Department of State through the East West Centre. The workshop aimed to identify potential trainers in the western and northern regions of Fiji, and it was a great success. "We were able to identify six potential trainers," Ms. Ledua says proudly.
Embracing Technology
To scale her business, Ms. Ledua recognised the need for a consistent revenue-generating process and a way to communicate her mission to customers. This led her to attend my build-a-website workshop via a sponsorship from Business Assistance Fiji to build a website for her business. "The website workshop and website-building process were very productive and efficient," she notes. The website now serves as a crucial tool in her business operations.
Advice on Upcycling
Ms. Ledua encourages everyone to educate themselves on repurposing household waste. "Learn to educate yourselves in how to repurpose household wastes in reducing and minimising waste from ending up in the landfill," she advises passionately. "There's so much to do, Fiji!"
Ms. Ledua is a wonderful example of how creativity, passion, and perseverance can turn even the most unlikely materials into something beautiful and useful. Her journey is an inspiration to all, showing that with a little imagination, we can all contribute to a more sustainable world.
