The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Summary
Description
Here you will find a The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind summary (William Kamkwamba's book).
We begin with a summary of the entire book, and then you can read each individual chapter's summary by visiting the links on the "Chapters" section.
P.S.: As an Amazon Associate, we earn money from purchases made through links in this page. But the summaries are totally free!
Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024
Chapters
Chapters The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Summary Overview
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.
prologue
William narrates his initial experience of operating his invention. A crowd, including those who ridiculed his efforts, is present. He scales his shaky structure to join two cables, setting his device in motion. The wind powers the contraption and a luminescent light flickers in William's hand, leaving the onlookers astonished.
chapter 1
Raised in the outskirts of Kasungu, Malawi, in a small village named Masitala, William Kamkwamba navigates a world in which "magic ruled." As a young boy, he accidentally consumes gumballs a trader had misplaced, leading him to fear the witch doctor's curse. His father intervenes by compensating the trader. William also narrates tales of Mwase Chiphaudzu, a revered magic hunter who saved their village from a wild rhino and an invading tribe, attesting to the importance of magic in their culture. William also recalls his brave grandfather, a seasoned hunter who battled lions and cobras. Despite his grandfather's encounters, William's greatest fear is the Gule Wamkulu - mythical dancers who target young boys. Following his bubblegum incident, he dreads being enslaved by a witch doctor. His father, a devout Presbyterian, teaches him to respect juju, but emphasizes the greater power of religious faith. The young boy finds solace in games with his friends, Geoffrey and Gilbert. They enact scenarios of soldiers and construct cardboard vehicles, similar to children's games elsewhere. He talks about the precarious nature of getting a haircut due to frequent power outages, leading to half-completed haircuts. The chapter concludes with William reminiscing about his father's storytelling skills, describing him as "a born storyteller, largely because his own life had been like one fantastic tale."
chapter 2
William narrates tales about his dad, Trywell, who began life as a trader, making trips to Lake Malawi for business engagements with the Yao. Known for his muscular build, drinking habits and brawls, Trywell got the alias “Pope,” due to his resistance to picking females from bars. Despite his rowdiness, he resisted police attempts to eject him from a concert due to his drunkenness. Meeting Agnes, William’s mom, prompted Trywell to curb his wild lifestyle after witnessing the demise or incarceration of several friends. An arrest was the turning point for him to embrace Christianity and quit drinking. His older brother, John, a prosperous farmer, persuaded him to take up farming in their village. The relocation to Masitala marked the onset of William’s childhood, with Trywell transitioning to agriculture. He extended their house with clay bricks, later hiring help for further expansion after the birth of William’s four sisters. William narrates about a man, Phiri, who possessed a magic called mangolomera that granted him extraordinary strength. William, who was a weak child and often bullied, was tempted to obtain this power from Shabani, another village resident, despite his father's warnings against magic. After cutting William’s knuckles and smearing them with ash, Shabani assured William he now had the mangolomera. William, however, was still defeated in a fight with a boy from a soccer match, leading him to believe that Shabani had tricked him.
chapter 3
William, at nine, experiences the death of his Uncle John due to tuberculosis. His cousin Geoffrey, the son of Uncle John, struggles with his father's demise. The loss leaves William feeling isolated. Heeding the village chiefs' advice, Trywell, Williams's father, hands over all of John's estate and wealth to Jeremiah, John's eldest son. Jeremiah squanders the inheritance on alcohol and partying in nearby towns within two years. The presidency of Bakili Muzuli poses challenges for Malawi's farmers. He discontinues farming subsidies and allows corporations to undersell farmers, damaging their income. William and his cousins find themselves working on the farm to compensate for the seasonal workers. A year after John's passing, William's other uncle, Socrates, along with his dog Khamba, relocate to their village. William bonds with Khamba, and they partner up for hunting. William and Geoffrey's main prey are birds, which they consume. William invents a giant slingshot-like trap that catches five birds at once. He exchanges the birds for a chance to join the local mphala, a place where unmarried men gather, eager to listen to their tales about women.
chapter 4
Upon reaching thirteen, William, Geoffrey, and Gilbert begin to grow up, spending more time at the market than hunting. William brings his dog Khamba less often because of the stigma. William details the significance of radios in Malawi, popular due to their battery power where electricity is scarce. Eager to learn, William and Geoffrey dissect radios to understand their internal workings. After breaking several radios in the process, they establish a small radio repair business. They gather disposed batteries from the market to test their repairs. William's curiosity extends to car engines but lacks a knowledgeable source. His remaining time is spent laboring on the family farm as his siblings are all females. The work is strenuous and almost year-round. In December 2000, heavy rainfall causes widespread flooding in Malawi, devastating farms. A severe drought follows the floods. The yield from William's family farm is low and the crops are frail. However, his father comforts him, reminding him that everyone is facing the same issues.
chapter 5
William becomes intrigued by a bicycle light powered by a dynamo. He investigates how the spinning tire generates electricity conducted to the light via wires. Together with his friend Geoffrey, they connect the dynamo to a radio, which works when the tire spins. William shares that a mere two percent of Malawians have access to electricity and acquiring it involves extensive travel, large application fees, and additional payments for line installation from the government. William sits for primary school exams to determine if he can progress to secondary school. Post flood and drought, he discovers that the government's surplus corn, usually meant for those in need, has been sold and the proceeds remain unaccounted for. With the escalating grain prices, William's father is forced to sell their goats to purchase more corn to sustain the family until the next harvest. The absence of breakfast further tires William and Geoffrey as they toil in the fields. The village chief, Gilbert’s father, appeals to the president for famine relief at a political rally, only to be assaulted by government officials. This raises concerns about the villagers' safety if the chief himself can be subjected to such brutality.
chapter 6
The escalating grain costs and decreasing food supplies lead to William's family subsisting on a single daily meal. His mother welcomes a new baby girl into the world. With only a sack of flour left, his mother decides to bake it into cakes for sale, intending to use the earnings to buy more flour. This would ensure a meal for the family and more cakes to trade. William's sister, Annie, disappears with two boys only to be discovered later that she has married one of them, bypassing traditional courtship norms, which infuriates their father. Spotting a grain truck, William cycles fifteen kilometers to Chamama to queue at the state distribution center. After spending almost the whole day in line, he successfully buys grain sufficient to feed his family for the coming week. The villagers of Matsila resort to selling their belongings, including their homes' metal roofing as desperation mounts. Geoffrey turns to odd jobs to stave off hunger while Gilbert assumes his father's role, addressing the incessant influx of people seeking food at the chief's residence. William and his cousin, Charity, acquire a goatskin from a trader at the center, boiling and consuming it in their desperation.
chapter 7
As the famine intensifies, William finds a diversion in education. However, his academic performance in primary school wasn't high enough to secure admission into his preferred secondary schools. Instead, he is sent to Kachokolo, a school he deems to be inferior. He and his friend Gilbert trek to Kachokolo daily until the principal demands payment of school fees. Given the family's financial situation, William discloses this to his father, who optimistically assures him that “next year will be better.” Meanwhile, the villagers' desperation escalifies. Some rob cakes from William's mother, causing her to stop purchasing flour. Fearful of the government, several villagers withdraw their savings from banks. The sight of starving masses becomes commonplace, with many crowding the streets and trading centers. The government's grain reserves are exhausted, and with no crops left, fatalities increase. Despite the glaring crisis, the president of Malawi audaciously asserts in a radio interview that “nobody has died of hunger.”
chapter 8
The ongoing famine worsens Khamba's, William's dog, illness. Charity and William decide to euthanize him, leaving him tied to a tree away from their home, later returning to bury him. As they grapple with this loss, cholera strikes the district, causing daily deaths from "hunger and cholera," as William observes. Meanwhile, Geoffrey's health deteriorates rapidly. Despite their scarce resources, William's mother shares food with Geoffrey's family. They manage to harvest the tobacco crop and set it out to dry, allowing William's father to trade their future dried tobacco for some food at the trading center. After half a year of nationwide anguish, the president finally recognizes the situation as an "emergency." Eventually, William, in celebration, harvests dowe cobs from their cornfield, cooking them over a fire. This marks the resurgence of health and vitality among William's family and their neighbors as more food becomes available.
chapter 9
William's family is still unable to pay for his secondary education. With free time on his hands, William seeks solace in his old primary school's library, where he borrows textbooks similar to what his friend Gilbert is studying. He discovers a book, Integrated Science, that explains electricity. From another book, Explaining Physics, he learns about magnets and electromagnetic induction. A third book, Using Energy, introduces him to the concept of windmills used for electricity generation in America. Triggered by these new learnings, William recalls the bicycle dynamo that powered their radio. He dreams of constructing a windmill to provide electricity and a water pump for his family's farm, enabling two annual harvests. He believes, “With a windmill, we’d finally release ourselves from the troubles of darkness and hunger.” To realize his dream, William creates a mini windmill using plastic, wood, and a cassette player's motor, successfully powering Geoffrey's radio. While the cost of a bicycle dynamo seems steep, William is determined to earn the money. His quest for windmill parts takes him to a scrapyard near Kachokolo school. Despite the physical toll it takes on his hands, William spends his days salvaging components, bringing him one step closer to his windmill dream.
chapter 10
William goes back to Kachokolo for the new school term, only to discover some classmates have passed away due to the famine. He starts skipping school fees, trying to avoid the principal. His father intends to pay his school fees with the profit from tobacco sales, after clearing all debts. However, the income isn't sufficient, leaving his father feeling unsuccessful and William worried about a future in poverty. Fortunately, the maize harvest is abundant, helping the family regain the weight they lost during the famine. During his spare time, William scavenges for parts at the junkyard, an activity which earns him ridicule. He uses his cash from odd jobs to pay a welder to put together his windmill's key parts. The only missing piece is a bicycle dynamo for the generator. His mother doubts his ability to find a spouse due to his constant tinkering, but his father supports him and asks her to give him a chance. Eventually, William and his friend Gilbert manage to buy a dynamo from a passing cyclist. Gilbert pays, though William senses Gilbert's family is also struggling financially. Regardless, William is appreciative.
chapter 11
William puts together the windmill's moving components and mounts it on a pole for testing. The blades span nearly eight feet and when connected to his father's radio, it generates an overwhelming amount of electricity, causing the radio to emit black smoke. He studies transformers and dissipation in "Explaining Physics" and with Geoffrey and Gilbert's assistance, he constructs a sturdy tower for the windmill. They fell several trees for wood and construct a sixteen-foot tower. After assembling the tower, the trio uses William’s clothesline wire and a support rung as a pulley to hoist the hefty windmill atop the tower. As they secure the windmill to the tower's peak, a crowd begins to gather at William’s home due to the tower's visibility from the trading center. William announces his plans to generate electricity from wind, but most onlookers scoff at the idea. William then affixes a light bulb to the windmill, producing a bright light that leaves everyone in awe. He extends the wire to his bedroom, thus being able to have light past sunset. His mother expresses a desire for light in their rooms as well. William concurs and reveals his intention to use a car battery for power storage to ensure a constant light supply, regardless of wind presence. He also contemplates building a larger windmill to power a water pump for the fields.
chapter 12
Ruth, William's cousin, requests him to charge her mobile phone using his windmill. He manages to produce approximately the required 220 V to charge the phone using a homemade transformer from an iron sheet and wire. An AC cord from a radio allows him to create an impromptu electrical outlet in his room, and he extends the wiring to illuminate his parents’ room and the living room. His father appreciates the home-grown electricity, stating he likes it “because my own son made it.” After a severe storm damages a ceiling beam in William's room, his floor gets infested with dirt and termites. He uses chickens to eliminate the termites and understands the potential fire hazard posed by the wiring in his house. Without access to conventional safety measures, he crafts a homemade fuse inspired by the working of an electric bell. After another storm, he confirms his fuse is functional. William also swaps the windmill's bicycle chain with a pulley mechanism and a belt, a tip he picks up from Geoffrey. This belt drive proves to be more dependable than the chain and saves him from injuries while making adjustments to the chain.
chapter 13
William, along with Geoffrey and Gilbert, continues his inventions. He assembles a radio transmitter with limited range and constructs a water pump, though it proves too challenging to use. He expresses anxiety about ongoing deforestation in Malawi that exacerbates droughts and floods. William constructs a coil that boils water using windmill electricity. His attempt at producing biogas ends up ruining his mother's cooking pot. In due course, his mother contracts malaria, becomes gravely ill and is hospitalized. Later, Gilbert's father, Chief Wimbe, passes away, resulting in a large funeral attended by many from nearby regions. Gilbert's cousin assumes the role of the new chief. In 2004, President Muluzi resigns and a new president comes to power. This president extends support to farmers but corruption prevents the full impact of the aid from reaching them. A subsequent drought leads to crop devastation and people resort to blaming magic, curses and even William's windmill for their misfortune. Thankfully, government and international aid manage to prevent a major famine. William becomes part of a group spreading HIV and AIDS awareness to control its widespread. He drafts a play to emphasize the importance of clinics and AIDS testing, which is well-received by his community. A teacher at Wimbe Primary is so impressed by William's play and windmill, he encourages William to form a science club. He creates a miniature windmill capable of powering a radio for the club, impressing the students and reigniting his dream of bringing electricity to Malawi.
chapter 14
Officials from the Malawi Teacher Training Activity (MTTA) become intrigued by William's windmill project at his school. Dr. Mchazime, the head of MTTA, takes a long journey to Wimbe to meet him personally. Recognizing William's potential, he believes William needs a proper education and additional resources. Hence, he organizes interviews for William with reporters, leading to his story being publicized in newspapers and aired on the radio. Eventually, William’s tale reaches a software engineer named Soyapi Mumba, who is based in Malawi. Soon, William's story makes its way to the Internet. Dr. Mchazime makes a strong case for William's education and even collects funds in his office to send William to a boarding school in Madisi. Once there, William is thrilled to experience a school with a solid roof, his own desk, and a laboratory for science classes. Later, Dr. Mchazime shares the news with William that he will be attending a TED conference in Tanzania. With new formal clothes and an airplane ride, William's journey becomes more exciting. Interestingly, he finds himself seated next to Soyapi Mumba on the plane, one of the key people who played a role in getting William invited to the TED conference.
chapter 15
William journeys to a TED event in Arusha, Tanzania, where he meets Tom Reilly, the event's corporate sponsor executive. Tom exposes him to the Internet and invites him onto the stage to discuss his windmill project. Despite his initial nervousness, William receives applause and recognition for his work. Tom assists him in securing funds for a better education and project materials. Upon his return to Wimbe, his home is fitted with cables and lights. He enrolls at the African Bible College Christian Academy in Lilongwe, a distance learning institution with global students. The funds he had secured also allowed for improved living conditions for his family, including regular medical and dental visits. A deep well is drilled, providing his family and the surrounding community with clean water. William visits Tom in New York, where he flies in a helicopter and visits the windmills in Palm Springs, California, that initially inspired him. He returns to Africa resolved to further his education and to teach others how to build windmills, to alleviate dependence on the government for basic necessities.
epilogue
William gets the opportunity to address the World Economic Forum on Africa regarding technology's role in developing nations. He's also recognized at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago in an exhibit labeled "Fast Forward: Inventing the Future." Subsequently, he earns admission to the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, an institution aiming to groom future African leaders. At the academy, William is among peers, fellow students who've triumphed over adversity and aim to uplift Africa. The closing section concludes with William's plea for support for those still battling hardships, and his vision of collective efforts to shape a brighter future.
