Storytime: "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

Summary

In 'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,' Miss Renee narrates the inspiring true story of William Kamkwamba, a young boy from Malawi who, despite poverty and famine, dreams of building a windmill to bring electricity and water to his village. Using found materials and a library's science books, he overcomes skepticism and challenges to create a functioning windmill, symbolizing the power of innovation and resilience in the face of adversity.

Takeaways

• 📚 The book 'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind' is a true story written by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer.
• 🌍 Set in Malawi, it tells the tale of a young boy who, despite poverty, dreams of building things and learning about science.
• 🌑 The village faces severe drought and famine, leading to a lack of food and forcing William's family to eat only one meal a day.
• 🏫 William is forced to drop out of school due to the family's financial struggles.
• 📖 He finds solace and knowledge in the local library, where he learns about engines, radios, and windmills.
• 🌬 William gets inspired by the idea that windmills can produce electricity and pump water, which could help his drought-stricken village.
• 🛠️ He embarks on a project to build a windmill from scrap materials, facing skepticism and ridicule from his community.
• 🔨 With the help of his cousin and best friend, William constructs a windmill tower using local resources like blue gum trees.
• 💡 His windmill succeeds in producing electricity, lighting a bulb and earning the admiration of his community.
• 🌱 William envisions a future where windmills can irrigate the fields and feed his country, using renewable energy to combat hunger.
• 🌟 The real-life William Kamkwamba's story gained international attention, leading to educational opportunities and the installation of a solar-powered water pump in his village.

Q & A

Who is the author of 'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind'?

The book is written by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer.

What is the main theme of the book?

The main theme of the book is the true story of a young boy in Africa who builds a windmill to bring power to his village.

What does the book emphasize about William's character?

The book emphasizes William's creativity, problem-solving skills, and determination to improve the conditions of his village.

Why did nightfall come quickly in William's village?

Nightfall came quickly in William's village because people had no money for lights.

What was William's dream as a child?

William dreamed of building things and taking them apart, such as trucks with bottle cap wheels and pieces of a radio.

What was the impact of the lack of rain on the village?

The lack of rain led to scorched fields, turning the maize into dust, causing hunger and starvation in Malawi.

Why did William have to drop out of school?

William had to drop out of school because his family could no longer afford it due to the economic hardship caused by the drought.

How did William educate himself after dropping out of school?

William educated himself by visiting the library and reading science books, using an English dictionary to understand the content.

What was the significance of the windmill in William's vision for his village?

The windmill was significant because it could produce electricity to bring light to the village and pump water to irrigate the fields, fighting hunger.

What materials did William use to build the windmill?

William used materials like a tractor fan, rusted bottle caps, plastic pipe, and a small generator to build the windmill.

How did the villagers react to William's windmill project?

Initially, the villagers called him 'masala' (crazy) and teased him, but after the windmill worked, they clapped and cheered.

What recognition did William receive for his achievements?

In 2007, William was discovered by journalists and invited to speak at a TED conference in Tanzania.

What was the outcome of the donations William received after his TED talk?

The donations helped send William back to school and install a solar-powered water pump that irrigates his father's fields.

Why are renewable resources like wind energy important according to the book?

Renewable resources like wind energy are important because they offer sustainable solutions to energy needs and can contribute to solving problems like hunger and poverty.