19-year-old William Kamkwamba, from Malawi, is a born inventor. When he was 14, he built an electricity-producing windmill from spare parts and scrap, working from rough plans he found in a library book called "Using Energy" and modifying them to fit his needs. The windmill he built powers four lights and two radios in his family home.
After reading about Kamkwamba on a blog (which picked up the story from a local Malawi newspaper), TEDGlobal Conference Director Emeka Okafor spent several weeks tracking him down (though his home has electricity, William's family had neither a phone nor email access) and invited him to attend TEDGlobal on a fellowship. Invited to the stage, Kamkwamba talked about his invention, and shared his dreams: To build a larger windmill to help with irrigation for his entire village, and to go back to school.
Following Kamkwamba's moving talk, there was an outpouring of support for him and his modest but hugely promising work. Members of the TED community got together to help him improve his power system (by incorporating solar energy), and further his education through school and mentorships. You can read the ongoing details on his blog (which he keeps with help from his mentor).
Transcript
William Kamkwamba: How I built my family a windmill
Chris Anderson: William, hi. Good to see you.
William Kamkwamba: Thanks.
CA: So, we've got a picture I think?
(photo of hut on a grassland)
Where is this?
WK: This is my home. This is where I live.
CA: Where? What country?
WK: In Malawi, Kasungu. In Kasungu.
CA: Yeah. Mala. OK. Now, you're 19 now?
WK: Yeah. I'm 19 years now.
CA: Five years ago you had an idea. What was that?
WK: I want to made a windmill.
CA: A windmill?
WK: Ya.
CA: And- so- what- to power- for lighting and stuff?
WK: Ya.
CA: So what did you do? How did you realize that?
WK: After I drop out from school, I went to library and I read a book that would- Using Energy, and I get information about doing the mill. And I try and I made it.
CA: So- (applause) So you copied- you exactly copied the design in the book.
WK: Ah, no. I just-
CA: What happened?
WK: In fact, a design of the windmill that it was in the book, it have got four -ah- three blades, and mine have got four blades.
CA: The book had three, yours had four.
WK: Ya.
CA: And you made it out of what?
WK: I made four blades just because I want to increase power.
CA: OK.
WK: Ya.
CA: You tested three, and found that four worked better?
WK: Ya. I just-
CA: And what did you make the windmill out of? What did- materials did you use?
WK: I use a bicycle frame, and a pulley, and plastic pipe, what then pulls-
CA: Do we have a picture of that? Can we have the next slide?
(picture of windmill, close up of it rotating)
WK: Ya. The windmill.
CA: And so, and that windmill, what- it worked?
WD: When the wind blows it rotates and generates.
CA: How much electricity?
WK: 12 watts.
CA: And so, that lit a light for the house? How many lights?
WK: Four bulbs and two radios.
CA: Wow.
(two photos of the hut being wired for electricity)
WK: Ya.
CA: And so- (applause) next slide- so who's that?
(slide of his parents holding radio)
WK: This is my parents, boughting the radio.
CA: So what do they make of- that you were 14, 15 at the time, what do they make of this? They were impressed?
WK: Ya.
CA: And so what's your- what're you going to do with this?
WK: Um-
CA: What do you- I mean- do you want to build another one?
WK: Ya, I want to build another one- to pump water and irrigate- irrigation for crops.
CA: So this one would have to be bigger?
WK: Ya.
CA: How big?
WK: I think it will produce more than 20 the watts.
CA: So that would produce irrigation for the entire village?
WK: Ya.
CA: Wow. And so you're talking to people here at Ted to get people who might be able to help in some way to- to realize this dream?
(slide of Kamkwamba on top of a windmill).
WK: Ya if they can help me- if my, ya.
CA: And as you think of your life going forward, you're 19 now, do you- do you picture continuing with this dream, working in energy?
WK: Ya. I'm still thinking to work on energy.
CA: Wow. William, it's a real honor to have you at the Ted conference. Thank you so much for coming.
