The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Synopsis

William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger, and a place where hope and opportunity were hard to find. But William had read about windmills in a book called Using Energy, and he dreamed of building one that would bring electricity and water to his village and change his life and the lives of those around him. His neighbors may have mocked him and called him misala—crazy—but William was determined to show them what a little grit and ingenuity could do.

Enchanted by the workings of electricity as a boy, William had a goal to study science in Malawi’s top boarding schools. But in 2002, his country was stricken with a famine that left his family’s farm devastated and his parents destitute. Unable to pay the eighty-dollar-a-year tuition for his education, William was forced to drop out and help his family forage for food as thousands across the country starved and died.

Yet William refused to let go of his dreams. With nothing more than a fistful of cornmeal in his stomach, a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks, and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to bring his family a set of luxuries that only two percent of Malawians could afford and what the West considers a necessity—electricity and running water. Using scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves, William forged a crude yet operable windmill, an unlikely contraption and small miracle that eventually powered four lights, complete with homemade switches and a circuit breaker made from nails and wire. A second machine turned a water pump that could battle the drought and famine that loomed with every season.

Soon, news of William’s magetsi a mphepo—his “electric wind”—spread beyond the borders of his home, and the boy who was once called crazy became an inspiration to those around the world.

Here is the remarkable story about human inventiveness and its power to overcome crippling adversity. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual’s ability to change his community and better the lives of those around him.


About William Kamkwamba

William Kamkwamba was born in Dowa, Malawi, in 1987 and raised in Masitala village along the central plains. One of seven children born to sustenance farmers who grew maize and tobacco, his childhood was often interrupted by drought and hunger.

At age twelve, Kamkwamba became fascinated with electricity—a luxury enjoyed by only 2 percent of Malawi. He taught himself radio repair and began tinkering with bicycle dynamos, hoping to understand the inner workings of generators. During a devastating famine in 2001 –02, William dropped out of high school during his first semester. As thousands died across the country, he continued his education by visiting a small library near his village that was funded by the American government. After seeing windmills on the cover of an 8th-grade science book, he set out to build his own machine using scavenged parts from a scrap yard. His first windmill was made from PVC pipe, a tractor fan, an old bicycle frame, and tree branches, and powered four light bulbs and charge mobile phones. A second windmill pumped water for a family garden.

Local news outlets discovered Kamkwamba in 2007, which led to a stage appearance at the TEDGlobal conference in Arusha, Tanzania. It was the first time he’d ever been on an airplane or seen the Internet. The appearance at TED, and a subsequent front-page feature in the Wall Street Journal, sparked a flood of international support, and soon William returned to school and completed much-needed improvements in his village farm, such as adding drip irrigation to shield his family against future drought. He’s now a student at African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Visit William Kamkwamba’s blog.

My Thoughts

The first part of the book gives the reader a look into William's village, the people and culture. We also get a glimpse into Williams' early years as a typical boy growing up in a small African village. His inquisitive nature and thirst for knowledge are quite evident from the start as he and a friend set up a transistor radio repair business. William's need to know how things work really struck a cord with me. I remember as a child taking apart a transistor radio (and a clock or two) to see what made them tick.

Villages like William's depend on crops for survival and when the crops fail everyone feels the effect. Starvation is not a pretty thing but it is a very real part of our world. William's first hand account of the famine and how it affects him and those around him is heart wrenching. It will definitely make you more thankful for you next meal.

All of these events lay the groundwork for the construction of the windmill. I was especially intrigued by William's ingenuity at finding parts for his project. Take a look at the photo above and you will get an idea of what I mean. People called him crazy but he never wavered in his determination to complete his windmill. And even though I knew it would work I found myself holding my breath when it was time to test it for the first time.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind proves that one person can make a difference. This is a book that you will continue to think about after the last page. It is a story that will leave you feeling good because there are people like William in our world. This is a book you definitely want to add to your reading list.




The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

* Paperback: 320 pages
* Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (July 27, 2010)
Available on Amazon.com

I received a copy of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind from TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for my review and all opinions are my own.