William Kamkwamba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Kamkwamba
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Kamkwamba at TED in 2007
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| Born | 5 August 1987 Kasungu, Malawi
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| Nationality | Malawian |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts |
| Alma mater | Dartmouth College |
| Occupation | Innovator |
| Known for | Constructing a wind turbine from scavenged parts |
William Kamkwamba (born August 5, 1987) is an amazing inventor, engineer, and author from Malawi. He became famous in 2001 for building a wind turbine to power his family's home. He used simple materials like blue gum trees, old bicycle parts, and items found in a scrapyard. His home was in Wimbe, about 23 kilometers east of Kasungu.
Since then, William has kept inventing! He built a solar-powered water pump that brings clean drinking water to his village. He also built two more wind turbines, with the tallest one reaching 12 meters high. One of his turbines is even in Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi.
William's Early Life and Inventions
William grew up in a family that relied on farming to survive. He loved playing with his friends, often using recycled materials to create new things.
A terrible famine hit Malawi, forcing William to leave school. His family could not afford the school fees. But William was determined to keep learning. He started spending a lot of time at the local school library. There, he discovered his passion for electronics. Before this, he had even started a small business fixing radios in his village, but it didn't earn much money.
After the famine, William managed to go back to school. Sometimes, he had to sneak in because his family still struggled with fees. His dad even begged teachers to let him stay, sometimes paying them with tobacco.
While at the library, William read a book called Using Energy. This book inspired him to build his own wind turbine. He started by experimenting with a small model and a cheap dynamo. Eventually, he built a working wind turbine that powered his dad's radio!
Local farmers and journalists were amazed by his spinning device. Soon, William's story became famous around the world. A blog called Hacktivate wrote about his achievements. In August 2009, William even took part in Maker Faire Africa in Ghana, an event celebrating creativity and invention.
Helping Others and Continuing Education
William is one of four people who received the 2010 GO Ingenuity Award. This award is given by a group called GO Campaign to inventors and artists. It helps them share their skills with young people in developing countries. With the award money, William held workshops in his home village. He taught young people how to build wind turbines and fix water pumps.
In 2007, William joined an intense two-year program at the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa. This program combined advanced studies with leadership and African studies. After that, he went on to study at Dartmouth College in the United States, graduating in 2014.
William's Fame and Achievements
In November 2006, The Daily Times newspaper in Blantyre wrote a story about William's wind turbine. This story quickly spread online. TED conference director Emeka Okafor invited William to speak at TEDGlobal 2007 in Arusha, Tanzania.
William's speech deeply moved the audience. Several investors at the conference offered to help pay for his high school education. His story was also featured in The Wall Street Journal. He then attended the African Bible College Christian Academy in Lilongwe. Later, he received a scholarship to the African Leadership Academy and graduated from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire in 2014.
William has appeared in many places. He was interviewed on The Daily Show on October 7, 2009. During the show, he was playfully compared to the clever fictional hero Angus MacGyver. He was also a guest speaker at the 2011 Google Science Fair introductory meeting.
In 2008, William started a non-profit organization called "Moving Windmills Project". This project helps his local community in Kasangu, Malawi, and other villages. It focuses on hands-on development. This includes sending children to school, building low-cost wells, and installing solar-powered pumps. They also renovate schools, providing new facilities and learning materials. The main goal of the Moving Windmills Project is to provide basic needs like clean water, good school resources, and sustainable farming. This helps ensure that famines like the one William experienced never happen again.
William's book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, was chosen for a special reading program in Loudoun County, Virginia in 2013. This program, called "1 Book, 1 Community," encourages people to read and discuss the same book together.
William is also the subject of a documentary film called William and the Windmill. This film won a major award at the 2013 South By Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas.
In 2010, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind was chosen as a common book for all new students at the University of Florida and Boise State University. In 2014, it was also selected by Auburn University and the University of Michigan College of Engineering. William visited each university to talk about his book and his life.
In 2013, TIME magazine named William one of the "30 People Under 30 Changing The World." He is also featured in the book Extraordinary People by Michael Hearst.
In 2019, William's book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, was made into a movie. The famous actor Chiwetel Ejiofor starred in the film and also wrote and directed it.
