Junior School student designs lampshades using recycled materials

Mikhail making a lampshade out of a baobab fruit shell.Mikhail Samnani, a Year 3 student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa made lampshades using recycled materials to raise awareness about the importance of repurposing materials to create handy items, which promotes environmental protection.

Lampshade made out of baobab fruit shell.“My project brings awareness to the fact that one can transform simple reusable objects in the house into beautiful and useful household items like lamps, wall frames and more. Not only does it save you money, it is also a conscious way of saving mother earth,” Mikhail said about his project.

Tapping into his creativity, Mikhail made ceiling and table lampshades using recyclable materials he had on hand like a baobab fruit shell, a coconut shell, an empty soda bottle, wires and tree branches. He first made holes into the shells and cut the plastic bottle into two trimming out the edges into a beautiful curvy pattern. He then painted the lampshades using different colours for decoration and for the final touch, he put an energy-saving light bulb inside each lampshade to light up the room. He received support from his family to see his passion project through to completion.

Lampshade made out plastic bottle and tree branch.In the future, Mikhail hopes to start a nonprofit organisation that will bring together creatives who will promote positive change in society by taking up projects that will offer alternative solutions to community-based problems thus improving the lives of people and the environment.