CAIRO: Outshined by booming workshops around them, exhaust pipe welders still operate with a full-fledged staff, displaying old exhaust pipes to signal their services.
Mohamed Mahmoud claimed a spot on Corniche Road in Old Cairo 40 years ago. He s still there today.
Mahmoud makes sure he is easy to spot by displaying two oblong cylinders placed on a metal wheel barrow and an exhaust pipe fixed on top of the wheel. In an environment suffering from pollution caused partly by broken car exhausts, his services are desperately needed. But Mahmoud is only concerned with earning a living, doing a job that has been providing for him and his family for a long time. Even though established workshops now provide the same services he offers, he and other welders have no other option. I wait for any car owner to drop by and ask me to repair his car. I don t only mend exhaust pipes, but also any broken part that requires welding: broken bumpers or any hole in the car that could be patched up, said Mahmoud. Mahmoud, 60, is concerned about the surrounding workshops that jeopardize the stability of his business. At a time we all used to have very good business, but now all that has changed, said Mahmoud. Now the majority of people are opting to buy brand new cars and their dealers provide regular maintenance. We mostly work with old cars, and since their number has decreased, we have no option but to wait for anyone who might have an emergency, he explained. But despite the change in demand, Mahmoud has never considered changing his line of work. Mahmoud says he is one of only three or four welders on the road that stretches from Dar El Salam to Old Cairo.
For us this is the best kind of market. A lot of trucks, old vehicles and microbuses use this road, and where else can they find someone to do the job for as little as LE 10, Mahmoud said. Content with his conditions, Mahmoud lives in a modest house close to his humble work station. Over the years, he managed to save money from times when business was booming. However, like many in his position, he has to live precariously on whatever comes his way. One day there is business, the next there may be none. Despite the hard time, his faith is still strong. God will never forget anyone. You sit and your livelihood will come to your door, said Mahmoud. Mahmoud has never considered opening a workshop. Why should I? he said. I used all my savings to marry off my six daughters. I couldn t have done this had I started an official business. There is risk of loss, there are ups and downs. It s no different. Moreover, you have to pay staff and other expenses. “I am really grateful for this profession. Now since all the money has been spent I am satisfied with whatever I earn, sitting on this corner. Mahmoud trained his son Abdullah in the craft so he can take over his father s business. Abdullah, 17, is a high school student but works side by side with his father during summer vacations. Now I could do the job in case my father isn t around, said Abdullah. I put on the mask and use the flame carefully, avoiding bringing it close to the petrol tank and other combustible areas in the vehicle, he added. I see no future for this profession, but I believe any skill you learn will come in handy. I am just happy to be helping my father, said Abdullah.
