He Harnessed The Wind

William Kamkwamba wasn't allowed to go to school in Malawi, Africa, because his parents couldn't afford the $80 annual. So he worked on the family farmm and taught himself as much as he could with books he borrowed from the school. He was 14 when he discovered an elementary-school science book with a windmill on the cover. It explained how windmills can generate electricity, which is scarce in Malawi. William decided to make a windmill so his family could have power. It took two months to gather the parts and build his first windmill. Then he built a second, more efficient one. Now, his family has lights so they can read at night, and an electric pump to help irrigate their fields.

William's story caught the attention of some journalists, which led to his being invited to the US to see giant wind farms in action, and now to his autobiography, "The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind."

Here's a six-minute short in which William tells his own remarkably inspirational story...


[thanks to Janet Stone for the link]

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