William Kamkwamba

Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Growing up in a small farming village outside Kasungu, Malawi, William Kamkwamba's life is deeply grounded in the agricultural rhythms of maize and tobacco cultivation. His family, like most in Malawi, survive without electricity and the community is steeped in the traditions of magic and superstition. As a child, William's inquisitive nature is evident. Along with his cousin Geoffrey and friend Gilbert, the son of the village chief, William shows an early interest in understanding how things work. This leads them to dismantle and investigate radios, and they quickly become proficient in repairing them, sparking William's fascination with bicycle-powered lights.

A destructive flood in December 2000, followed by a harsh drought, pushes Malawi into a dire famine. The country's corrupt leadership exacerbates the crisis by selling off grain reserves and removing farming subsidies, causing food prices to skyrocket. This forces William’s family to drastically reduce their meals to one small ration a day. As a result of their financial straits, William doesn't qualify for boarding school and is unable to afford the fees for the local secondary school in Kachokolo. His schooling comes to a premature end.

With no means to continue his education and limited farm work, William finds solace in the pages of borrowed physics books. He becomes fascinated by the idea of electric windmills, dreaming of constructing one to generate light and pump irrigation water for his family's farm. Utilizing a bicycle dynamo and scavenged parts from a scrapyard, William constructs a functional windmill atop a 16-foot tower. His achievement astonishes the villagers, who had previously thought him mad. Word of his accomplishment spreads, earning him recognition from Dr. Mchazime, the head of the Malawi Teacher Training Activity. This leads to media coverage, an invitation to present at a TED conference in Tanzania, and sponsorship for his education and electrification of his home. His journey eventually takes him to America and finally to the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, an institution dedicated to fostering the potential of Africa's future leaders.

William Kamkwamba Books in Order (2 Book Series)

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

What To Read Next

William Kamkwamba Books in Order (2 Book Series)

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

What To Read Next

Share this page