Amrou Mohamed with his gourd lamps.
Doha, Qatar: In a world where new products are constantly purchased and tossed out after a few uses, a young Egyptian inventor aims to challenge the norm. Armed with a passion to protect the planet, he embarked on a journey to showcase the potential of repurposing produce to conserve our precious environment.
Amrou Mohamed, a recent graduate of Qatar University, is achieving this through his recycled innovation named the ‘gourd lamp’. The product is a labor of love, requiring both patience and craftsmanship to create the dazzlingly illuminating lamp.
“What really interests me is sustainability,” he says, “taking care of the environment we live in instead of only pursuing financial gain.”
Mohamed draws inspiration from the hard-shelled green vegetable ‘gourd’, which is closely related to pumpkin and squash. It flourishes best in tropical or warm climates, making it abundant in East Asia and Turkey.
While the concept may seem modern, gourds have a rich ancient history dating back to the Ottoman Empire, where they were used as candle holders. Taking after East Asia and Turkey, Mohamed has brought this ancient craft to Qatar, rekindling its heritage.
He kicks off the week-long process of crafting each lamp by hand by carving out the bottom of the gourd to extract its seeds and flesh. He says the flesh is a culinary delight used to cook a variety of hearty traditional stews.
After the stew is enjoyed, many usually toss out the outer shell of the gourd – but here is where Mohamed’s bright invention comes into play.
He repurposes the gourd shell by carefully drilling in intricate patterns and embellishing it with decorative beads, making each shell a unique masterpiece.
“My inspiration is taking something from the environment, using it, and instead of throwing it out, I innovate it to create a product that lasts forever,” says Mohamed. “This is how the environment will be conserved.”
His patterns range from star shapes to tree branches, with his most popular design being a customers’ name in Arabic or English calligraphic font.
Mohamed’s final touch is inserting a bright bulb into the hole initially carved out, bringing the work of art to life. The resulting gourd lamp casts captivating shadows and radiates warm light, all while being a unique eco-friendly product.
To make the production of gourd lamps even more feasible, Mohamed intends to plant gourds at Qatar’s local farms instead of relying on imports.
“I want to show that being sustainable can be done from the place you’re currently in,” he says.
This ambition comes with its own complexities because gourds require fertile soil and recurrent rainfall to thrive. Regardless, Mohamed credits one of his close friends for generously offering him a space in his farm to cultivate gourds. His support brings Mohamed a step closer to fostering a local legacy that aligns with ethical environmental values.
“My friends have been the biggest supporters of my business since the beginning,” he says, “I don’t know where I would be without them.”
Mohamed strives to one day open his own store and extend his sustainability message to a wider audience. Receiving recognition at the Doha Expo is his ultimate dream that he vows to work especially hard towards.
“Reusability, sustainability and environmental conservation are the main qualities of this year’s Expo and they perfectly reflect my vision for gourd lamps,” he says.
Mohamed is currently selling his gourd lamps through his Instagram account and is participating in Katara’s Summer Trade Festival taking place through June 13.
