William Kamkwamba: How I harnessed the wind

Summary

In this inspiring talk, a Malawian inventor shares his journey from a poor farmer facing famine to a creator of life-changing technology. After dropping out of school due to hunger, he taught himself physics from books and built a windmill from scrap materials, generating electricity and irrigation for his village. Despite facing doubt and obstacles, his invention brought hope, media attention, and even a TED invitation. His story emphasizes the power of persistence, encouraging people, especially those in poverty, to trust themselves and never give up on their dreams.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The speaker reflects on their TED talk experience two years ago in Arusha, Tanzania.
• 💡 The speaker built a simple machine that changed their life, a proud achievement.
• 🏠 Before this, they had never left their home in Malawi, used a computer, or seen the Internet.
• 😨 During their TED talk, they felt nervous, struggled with English, and were overwhelmed by the audience.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 They come from a family of seven children, all sisters except for the speaker.
• 🌾 As a farmer in Malawi, the speaker experienced a devastating famine in 2001, leading to hunger and dropping out of school.
• 📚 Determined to continue learning, the speaker taught themselves science from books, especially physics, using diagrams.
• 💨 Inspired by a book, they built a windmill from scrap materials to generate electricity and pump water for irrigation.
• 🔧 Their invention not only lit up their home but also helped people charge mobile phones, attracting attention from reporters and bloggers.
• 🙏 The speaker encourages others, especially struggling Africans and the poor, to trust themselves, believe in their dreams, and never give up.

Q & A

What was the speaker’s emotional state during their TED talk in Arusha?

The speaker was very nervous and lost their English while on stage, feeling overwhelmed by the audience and the experience. They even mentioned wanting to vomit due to the nerves.

Why did the speaker mention never being around so many 'azungu' (white people) before?

The speaker had grown up in Malawi and had never encountered such a diverse audience, including many white people, which contributed to their nervousness.

What life-changing event did the speaker discuss during their TED talk?

The speaker talked about building a windmill from scrap materials, which changed their life by providing electricity and pumping water for irrigation, helping combat the famine in Malawi.

Why was the speaker forced to drop out of school?

The speaker had to drop out of school because their family could not afford the school fees due to a severe famine that struck Malawi in 2001.

How did the speaker learn about windmills and decide to build one?

The speaker learned about windmills from books they found in a library. Even though they struggled with reading English, they used diagrams and pictures to understand that a windmill could pump water and generate electricity, leading to their decision to build one.

What materials did the speaker use to build the windmill?

The speaker used materials from a scrapyard, including a tractor fan, a shock absorber, PVC pipes, a bicycle frame, and a bicycle dynamo to build their windmill.

What was the initial result of the windmill project?

The speaker’s first windmill initially lit one light, and later it powered four lights with switches and even a circuit breaker. Another windmill was built to pump water for irrigation.

How did the community respond to the speaker’s windmill project?

Initially, many people, including the speaker’s mother, thought they were crazy. However, after the windmill was successful, people began lining up at their house to charge their mobile phones.

What impact did the windmill project have on the speaker’s life?

The windmill project gained attention from reporters and bloggers, which eventually led to a call from TED. This opened up opportunities for the speaker, including international recognition and sharing their story on a global stage.

What message does the speaker want to convey to people who are struggling with their dreams?

The speaker’s message is to trust yourself, believe in your dreams, and never give up, no matter the challenges. They emphasized that persistence can lead to success, even in difficult circumstances.