Five crore turnover through waste management; Jaleena Ignatious fulfilled her brother's business dream after his death

KANNUR: She first teased her brother, saying that his business lacked glamour. She was devastated when he died in a car accident. She later thought about what the greatest gift she could give her brother was and took on his unfinished business dream. Determined to make it a success, Jaleena quit her IT job and made her brother's dream a reality.

Jaleena Ignatious is today a well-known entrepreneur in collecting and scientifically processing waste from local bodies. She is the only woman in this field. Thiruvonam Eco Industries Company has an annual turnover of five crores.

Waste, including plastic, is collected from 26 local bodies from Kasaragod to Kottayam. These are scientifically processed and sold for the manufacture of cement, industrial oil, and plastic products. In 2017, her brother's venture had entered into agreements with Bathery, Payyannur, and Mahe municipalities. That's where Jaleena (35), a native of Pilathara, Kannur, started.

She quit her job as a subject matter expert for an Australian company after graduating in engineering to run this business. Her elder brother, Maijo Ignatious, died in a car accident on April 23, 2021, while he was returning to Payyannur from Mahe after picking up a load.

Brother's debt of 40 lakhs

Her elder brother had a debt of around forty lakhs related to the venture. The house was sold before it went into foreclosure. Maijo says that today she has somehow paid off all the liabilities.

She also has the support of her father Ignatius Antony, mother Jessie, husband Arun Thomas and daughter Zaira Elizabeth.

That decisive phone

The turning point was Jaleena using her brother's phone. When she received calls from clients on it, she realized how good her brother's business plans were. That gave her the courage to take up the venture.

Waste collected from a municipality per month: 25-60 tons

Collected from a panchayat per month: 4-5 tons

''My brother left after setting up a platform. I am running it

- Jaleena Ignatious