Ideas worth spreading

How I turned a deadly plant into a thriving business

1,898,643 views | Achenyo Idachaba • TEDWomen 2015

The water hyacinth may look like a harmless, even beautiful flowering plant -- but it's actually an invasive aquatic weed that clogs waterways, stopping trade, interrupting schooling and disrupting everyday life. In this scourge, green entrepreneur Achenyo Idachaba saw opportunity. Follow her journey as she turns weeds into woven wonders.

The water hyacinth may look like a harmless, even beautiful flowering plant -- but it's actually an invasive aquatic weed that clogs waterways, stopping trade, interrupting schooling and disrupting everyday life. In this scourge, green entrepreneur Achenyo Idachaba saw opportunity. Follow her journey as she turns weeds into woven wonders.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Help unlock the potential of women entrepreneurs. The International Trade Center initiative seeks to connect one million women entrepreneurs to markets by 2020. The ripple effect in our communities from an economic and development standpoint would be astronomical.

About the speaker

Achenyo Idachaba

Achenyo Idachaba

Green entrepreneur

See speaker profile

Achenyo Idachaba is the head of MitiMeth, a Nigeria-based company that makes handicrafts from aquatic weeds and other agro-waste.

United Nations Environment Programme | Explore

Water hyacinth -- can its aggressive invasion be controlled?

In this article, the United Nations Environment Programme gives readers insight into the magnitude of water hyacinth invasion across the globe.

Vijay Mahajan | Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008 | Book

Africa Rising: How 900 Million African Consumers Offer More Than You Think

I particularly liked this book because it was quite objective in its presentation. It also shed some light on the nuances of various consumer groups in Africa.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Help unlock the potential of women entrepreneurs. The International Trade Center initiative seeks to connect one million women entrepreneurs to markets by 2020. The ripple effect in our communities from an economic and development standpoint would be astronomical.