Ingenuity: humanity's greatest resource

“It is surprising what a man can do when he has to, and how little most men will do when they don’t have to.” This statement by Walter Linn embodies the story of William Kamkwamba, a curious young man whose thirst for knowledge has introduced science to a small village in Malawi. Despite a lack of formal education and proper resources, William has constructed a windmill that now provides electricity for his family and inspiration for people across the globe.

At the age of fourteen, William was denied what so many American teenagers take for granted: an education. In 2002, famine swept across his country, leaving his parents unable to pay the $80 tuition for William to attend high school. However, he did not let this setback keep him from his pursuit of knowledge. William began exploring a local library, where he found a textbook entitled Using Energy that described how windmills could be used to generate electricity. This discovery inspired him to go about building his own windmill to improve the quality of life in his village.

Unable to read most of the English text, William taught himself the foundations of engineering from the pictures and diagrams within the book. He then used his basic understanding to construct a makeshift windmill and circuit breaker out of scrap metal, tractor parts, bicycles, nails, wire, and a whole lot of ingenuity. After three months, the tenacious teenager’s device was able to power four light bulbs and two radios, while also pumping water to irrigate his family’s farm.

Since its first construction, William’s windmill has attracted a fair amount of media attention across the globe. In 2008 his project was featured in a one-year exhibit, “Driving Force: Visionaries Redefining our World,” at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. A full-length documentary on the project and its effect on the community, Moving Windmills: the William Kamkwamba Story, is currently in production, scheduled to be completed late next year. In addition, William recently released an autobiography, entitled The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, describing his personal journey towards discovery.

Although William’s windmill is simple in terms of technology, it has become far more powerful as a symbol of what a single individual can achieve through determination and ingenuity. As William states in his book, “a windmill means more than just power, it means freedom.” Now, the boy who once could not afford to go to school is applying to some of the leading engineering schools. We need more individuals like William Kamkwamba working towards improving life and spreading knowledge to ensure a better and brighter future.