EGYPT-CANDLE MAKERS Egypt candle maker struggles to keep business going

Record ID: 150475

  • Title: EGYPT-CANDLE MAKERS Egypt candle maker struggles to keep business going
  • Date: 8th June 2015
  • Summary: ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CANDLE MAKER, MEDHAT MOSTAFA ABDO, AND HIS SON, MOHAMED, MAKING CANDLES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CANDLE-MAKER, MEDHAT MOSTAFA ABDO, SAYING: "We hang the strings on the wood - most of our work is hand made, some people have begun using machines, but we're still keen on hand made because some candle types can't be made by a machine
  • Embargoed: 23rd June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5LWVV0ZR0KS28JOKBWDRSSIIA
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Egyptian candle makers are struggling to keep the flame of hand made candles burning.
    Owners of small candle making business are facing a slowdown as imported goods are taking over Egyptian markets.
    Medhat Mostafa Abdo, an owner of a small candle making workshop in Alexandria, said many producers are switching to machine production but in his family's workshop all the products here are crafted by hand.
    "We hang the strings on the wood - most of our work is hand made, some people have begun using machines, but we're still keen on hand made because some candle types can't be made by a machine. Candles are used at baby showers, lighting and weddings must be hand made. It's dependant on the handicraft. So, we make the strings and hang them here on the wood like this and we start dropping them here and it takes one layer after the other until it takes the shape we want and we wrap it and sell it to the customers," he said.
    Abdo has been a candle maker for the past 35 years. He inherited the business from his father who taught him the craft before leaving him the workshop.
    He continues the family tradition by teaching his 13-year-old son, Mohamed, the labour intensive candle making craft.
    Mohamed has been helping his father in the workshop during summer holidays since he was eight.
    The upcoming Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, is usually a busy time for Abdo and his family, with many shoppers buying candles for their traditional Ramadan lanterns. But even those types of lanterns are being replaced with battery operated ones.
    "It is all about marketing. Here (in Egypt), the imported products have become very available. Of course, the imported goods are competing against the local businesses in a large way. And of course, the prices are similar, so naturally, the customers prefer the imported ones," he added.
    Abdo uses paraffin to make his candles.
    One candle costs one Egyptian pound, the equivalent of 0.13 U.S dollars. One unit, which consists of 28 candles, takes about an hour to make.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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