Some of you may have heard of this story before, but I think it is a good one to tell again.
A young man in Malawi, William Kamkwamba, is being touted as the embodiment of the African spirit and determination which could save their continent from the worst ravages of climate change. Why? Well, after being forced to leave school at age 14 because his family could no longer afford the $80 a year in fees, he decided that it wasn’t all over for him. He kept on learning from the local libraries he had access to and in the end has shown a remarkable talent for innovation which has helped his family and others living in the area.
You see, this boy loves science. A lot. He built a windmill from bits of scrap he found – so far so what? Well, this windmill has revolutionised his area by generating electricity from the wind and enabling the villagers to be able to pump water, a precious resource in drought-afflicted Malawi.
Initially his family and others simply thought he was up to no good. He had to explain numerous times what he wanted to do and they didn’t believe him, or believe it was possible. But when he finally finished his work, what they saw made them realise he was on to something. By hooking up a light bulb to his makeshift wind turbine and showing that it worked, he showed everyone that not only could their lives be improved, but that they didn’t need anyone else to do it.
In the end, his windmill and its successors have given electricity and running water for irrigation to a large area. Villagers queue up to charge their mobile phones, his family’s farm can thrive thanks to the availability of water and paraffin lighting has been replaced by electric lighting. All in all, this boy (as he was at the time) has really been a shot in the arm to his local community.
Now 22, the man has been around the world at climate change conferences, speaking in front of major world statesmen and businessmen, and won a prestigious scholarship at a South African leadership academy. No doubt he will go on to even greater things, and I would not be surprised to see this young man rising higher and higher in African society.
So how does this story relate to you? Well, if this boy can do what he has done in circumstances where even $80 for a year’s education is an unachievable target, then maybe you can make those life changes you have always wanted to. He is a shining example that available resources don’t matter all that much – raw determination, spirit and desire to improve either your own or someone else’s life can go a very long way.
Read the story for yourself here!
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Tags: innovation, invention