The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope
By William Kamkwamba; Bryan Mealer
(William Morrow, Hardcover, 9780061730320, 288pp.)
Publication Date: September 10, 2009
Categories: Personal Memoirs
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Selected by Indie Booksellers for the October 2009 Indie Next ListWilliam 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.William Kamkwamba is a student at African Leadership Academy and a 2007 TED Global Fellow. He has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal and, in 2008, he delivered an address at the World Economic Forum on Africa.
"An inspiring tale of an African Cheetah--the new generation of young Africans who won't sit and wait for corrupt and incompetent governments-or vampire states- to come and do things for them. Here is one who harnessed the wind to generate electricity for his village-on his own."
-Professor George Ayittey, Distinguished Economist, American University
"A moving, touching, important story. One more reminder of how small the world is and how powerful the human spirit can be."
-Seth Godin, author of Tribes
"This book is inspirational. What William did took nothing more than initiative and a little learning.... There's never been a better time to Do It Yourself, and I love how much we can learn from those who often have no other choice."
-Chris Anderson, editor in chief of Wired and author of Free and The Long Tail
"I first met William on stage at TED.... His story, told in just a couple of minutes, was both astonishing and exhilarating. This book proves what those few minutes hinted at: a remarkable individual capable of inspiring many to take their future into their own hands."
-Chris Anderson, TED Curator
"This is an amazing, inspiring and heartwarming story! It's about harnessing the power not just of the wind, but of imagination and ingenuity. Those are the most important forces we have for saving our planet. William Kamkwamba is a hero for our age."
-Walter Isaacson, author of Einstein and Benjamin Franklin
" In this book, the spirit, resilience and resourcefulness that are Africa's greatest strengths shine through.... The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a remarkable story about a remarkable young man and his inquisitive and inventive mind."
-Amy Smith, founder, D-Lab, MIT
"William Kamkwamba's achievements with wind energy should serve as a model of what one person, with an inspired idea, can do to tackle the crisis we face. His book tells a moving and exciting story."
-Al Gore, former Vice President and Nobel Laureate
"William will challenge everything you have thought about Africa, about young people, and about the power of one person to transform a community. This beautifully written book will open your heart and mind. I was moved by William and his story and believe you all will. Essential, powerful and compelling."
-Chris Abani, author of Graceland
"William Kamkwamba is an alchemist who turned misfortune into opportunity, opportunity beyond his own. The book is about learning by inventing. William's genius was to be ingenious."
-Nicholas Negroponte, founder, MIT Media Lab, founder and chairman, One Laptop per Child
"A powerful read. This book takes you on a journey to discover pure innovation and the unfolding story of a natural genius. A true vision of struggle and tenacity to make a bold idea become a reality. This should be required reading for anyone who dares to dream."
-Cameron Sinclair, Eternal Optimist, Architecture for Humanity
"This book is inspirational. What William did took nothing more than initiative and a little learning, yet he changed his village and his life. There's never been a better time to Do It Yourself, and I love how much we can learn from those who often have no other choice."
-Chris Anderson, editor in chief of Wired and author of Free and The Long Tail
"Beyond opening the door to a nascent genre of African Innovation literature, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind makes excuses about why Africans can't change their fates untenable. This potent, powerful, and uplifting message is the heart of William Kamkwamba's courageous story."
-Emeka Okafor, internationally acclaimed author of blogs Timbuktu Chronicles and Africa Unchained
"I loved this enchanting story of a humble young hero from an impoverished African village who accomplished a miracle with scrap materials and unstoppable enthusiasm. What an inspiration!"
-Mark Frauenfelder, founder of boingboing.net, editor in chief of MAKE
"This book.... is a testament to the power of a dream and the freedom that comes from accomplishing a sustainable way of life. Read this book, act on its message and pass it on."
-Carter Roberts, President & CEO, WWF
"A rare and inspiring story of hope in rural Africa....William represents a new generation of Africans, using ingenuity and invention to overcome life's challenges. Where so many tilt at windmills, William builds them!"
-Erik Hersman, AfriGadget.com
"I was moved first to laughter, and then to tears by William's explanation of how he turned some PVC pipe, a broken bicycle and some long wooden poles into a machine capable of generating sufficient current to power lights and a radio in his parents' house.
-Ethan Zuckerman, cofounder, Global Voices
"Wonderful! I challenge you to read this story of one young man changing his corner of the world with nothing but intelligence and perseverance and not come away more hopeful about the prospects for a brighter, greener future."
-Alex Steffen, editor, Worldchanging.com
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
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