We, the commoners, usually seek to adapt to conditions when they go adverse. Almost never, we try to put them on a normal footing so that the others should not suffer. Still, there are the eco-heroes who think differently and act to normalize them. William Kamkwamba, 22, is one of them who built his own working wind turbine, a 12-watt wonder, from scratch in 2007. Crossing the imposed barriers with fortitude, the lad from Malawi never allowed the lack of sources to overshadow his aspirations.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
William never had enough money, had to leave his school, saw extreme poverty and went through the roughest of times. However, he kept pushing his limits. After studying a DIY book, he built his wind turbine out of a tractor fan, shock absorbers, PVC pipes and a bicycle frame. His creation was able enough to light up four bulbs and a radio. Later in 2008, he built a Green Machine windmill, pumping well water to irrigate his maize crops. Finally this year, he erected an actual size 5m windmill.
William Kamkwamba’s achievements with wind energy show what one person with an inspired idea can do to tackle the crisis we face.
This is how the climate change campaigner Al Gore recognizes his efforts.
Currently, he is pursuing his studies at the elite African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa.