As young aspirants, majority of us have always wanted to contribute to our country’s growth. However, with time, not everyone grows up with the same vision. Among many people, very few tend to look beyond their personal desires and make an attempt to do things that are beneficial for the country.
Having spent his childhood in Bahrain, Omar moved to London to pursue higher studies but left his heart in his home country. As an ambitious kid, Omar always looked for different ways to learn and grow. He was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug at an early age and always envisioned to do something that would create a buzz.
Despite being a young and shy kid, he managed to bag the 2nd rank in his class for 8 years consecutively. That’s when his parents and teachers knew that he was destined for brilliance. Omar’s academic brilliance did not end with his schooling. He went on to pursue his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree at Emile Woolf College in association with Oxford Brookes University, London. Following this, he enrolled for an MBA program and earned the youngest MBA holder title at the age of 19.
Besides creating a mark in the glamour-filled modeling industry, Omar has also been a former assistant choreographer in London. Keeping aside his versatile career, he knew he wanted to channelize his expertise into things that would bring Bahrain to the spotlight. And that’s exactly what he did. Over the couple of years, he invested all his time, money, and energy into building a voice-controlled smart home.
Birth of ‘Ghafarado’s: The Pad’
Influenced by ‘Iron Man’ movie, Omar invested all the money he had saved up for years to purchase an apartment in New Juffair’s posh locality. Even though he was not an IT skilled person, what helped him bring life to his project was curiosity and determination.
After some failed attempts and months of unwavering dedication, Omar finally built a smart home that was not just first-of-its-kind in Bahrain, but the first of the Middle East too. His smart home apartment features some of the technology-led systems such as voice activated curtains, Wi-Fi screen refrigerator, Smart coffee maker, sensor angled hood, and voice-controlled sockets and switches.
While speaking on how this concept cropped up, Omar Al Mohammed says, “In April 2016, while using maps on my phone, I came across an option ‘ask for directions by voice.’ This made me curious about how voice commands can get things done merely through an internet connection. Within a year, I saw a robot vacuum cleaner which could be connected and fully controlled by a smartphone. I set up a voice control system in it, and even though it was something I had never done before, I was happy with the outcome.”
From the design perspective, Omar has blended in minimal, contemporary, and modern interiors with black, white, silver, and grey themes. He has given his pad a rich, winter look with birch tree branches and Eiffel vases. In no time, Omar has become a role model and is often referred to as Bahrain’s youngest innovator. His work has been featured in the leading newspapers like Gulf Daily News, Al Watan News, The Daily Tribune, and a business magazine – Biz Bahrain. His pad has also been declared as ‘Property of the Month’ in Arabian Homes – a leading property magazine.
If there’s anything to learn from him, it is, to work with dedication and hard work to change life for better! Omar is presently focused on his 2 new projects and intends to contribute more to help Bahrain get the recognition it deserves.