2012
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Summary of the Book:
William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger,
and a place where hope and opportunity were hard to find. But William had read about windmills in a called Using Energy, and he dreamed of building one that would bring electricity and water to his village and change his life and the lives of those around him. His neighbors may have mocked him and called him misala--crazy--but William was determined to show them what a little grit and ingenuity could do. Enchanted by the workings of electricity as a boy, William had a goal to study science in Malawi's top boarding schools. But in 2002, his country was stricken with a famine that left his family's farm devastated and his parents destitute. Unable to pay the eighty-dollar-a-year tuition for his education, William was forced to drop out and help his family forage for food as thousands across the country starved and died.
Yet William refused to let go of his dreams. With nothing more than a fistful of cornmeal in his stomach, a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks, and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to bring his family a set of luxuries that only two percent of Malawians could afford and what the West considers a necessity--electricity and running water. Using scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves, William forged a crude yet operable windmill, an unlikely contraption and small miracle that eventually powered four lights, complete with homemade switches and a circuit breaker made from nails and wire. A second machine turned a water pump that could battle the drought and famine that loomed with every season.
Soon, news of William's magetsi a mphepo--his "electric wind"--spread beyond the borders of his home, and the boy who was once called crazy became an inspiration to those around the world. Here is the remarkable story about human inventiveness and its power to overcome crippling adversity. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual's ability to change his community and better the lives of those around him.
Children's Edition:
Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up
When fourteen-year-old William Kamkwamba's Malawi village was hit by a drought, everyone's crops began to fail. Without enough money for food, let alone school, William spent his days in the library . . . and figured out how to bring electricity to his village. Persevering against the odds, William built a functioning windmill out of junkyard scraps, and thus became the local hero who harnessed the wind.
Lyrically told and gloriously illustrated, this story will inspire many as it shows how - even in the worst of times - a great idea and a lot of hard work can still rock the world.
Resources
Author's Website
http://williamkamkwamba.typepad.com/williamkamkwamba/2009/08/building-a-windmill-at-science-chicagos-labfest-in-millennium-park-.html
Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ztk3rmxu6g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arD374MFk4w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGe65xwd-0c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlx85vziJQw&feature=fvst
Interviews
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-october-7-2009/william-kamkwamba?xrs=share_copy
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/william_kamkwamba_how_i_harnessed_the_wind.html
