William Kamkwamba Creates Windmill

School Drop Out in Malawi Creates Electricity for His Family

Jul 10, 2007 Sandra Williams

An amazing story about a young man named William from Malawi Africa who was forced to drop out of school yet created a windmill so his home would have electricity.

Nineteen-year-old William Kamkwamba from Kasungu Malawi in Africa did not let the fact that he could not continue his schooling in 2002 stop him from learning. His family was unable to pay the school fees required but William obtained books from Wimbe Teachers Development Centre (TDC) so was able to continue pursuing his interest in science.

The books were donated through a teacher-training program called Malawi Teacher Training Activity (MTTA). One book in particular was about energy and included instructions on how to design a windmill. Dr. Hartford Mchazime, deputy head of MTTA came to William's village to see his windmill and was so impressed that he not only invited the media to report about him but arranged for his schooling to be covered by the government.

• William endured people’s gossip about how he must be going mad and persevered until his strange looking contraption proved to be a functioning windmill. It has saved his parents money and time, as they previously had to travel 10kms to purchase paraffin to use for light.

• He built his first windmill when he was only 14 and has improved upon it many times since. His original windmill generated enough power to light his room, but he made a larger one that created enough power for several light bulbs as well as two radios. Some of the parts used for the windmill were scrap wood, PVC pipes and a bicycle frame. The PVC pipes were cut, heated and pounded until flat for blades. More recently, William replaced the plastic windmill blades by taking an oil drum to a tinsmith to help cut it into new steel blades.

• The publicity has brought William Kamkwamba many deserved opportunities such as the ability to continue his schooling. On August 20, he will continue his studies at African Bible College Christian Academy in Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi. Lilongwe is in a fertile central region of the country and although some areas there are modern and wealthy, many people are still without electricity or running water.

The story received more publicity thanks to Malawian blogger Soyapi Mumba and continued through to other blogs such as Hactivate, White African, AfriGadget and others. Emeka Okafor who is the curator of TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Global Conference invited William to attend with him in Aursha, Tanzania where he was well received.

Since the conference, William was introduced to the internet and now has an email address as well as a successful blog with the help of his American mentor. He recently rewired his home so it could be powered by his upgraded windmill. He continues to update us on his latest projects and is presently working on wiring his home with solar power along with his team from National Solar and Power. If you are interested in reading more about the young man and genius William Kamkwamba, check out his blog. Although there is no obligation, he now also has a paypal donation button. Donations would go towards his latest projects, education and expenses for his family such as food, clothes and health care.

Sources:

William Kamkwambas Malawi Windmill Blog, 2007 Malawi’s The Nation, "Behold the Scientist from Malawi", July 2, 2007"School Dropout Invents Windmill Electricity", Sangwani Mwafulirwa, November 20, 2006,Tom Rielly, email, July 2007

The copyright of the article William Kamkwamba Creates Windmill in Poverty/World Development is owned by Sandra Williams. Permission to republish William Kamkwamba Creates Windmill in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

William Kamkwamba's Windmill

William and Peter testing motor

William on his windmill