Name: How I built a windmill
Uploaded: 2007-07-31T11:20:00Z
Duration: 3 min 58 s
Description: When he was just 14 years old, Malawian inventor William Kamkwamba built his family an electricity-generating windmill from spare parts, working from rough plans he found in a library book.

When he was just 14 years old, Malawian inventor William Kamkwamba built his family an electricity-generating windmill from spare parts, working from rough plans he found in a library book.

How I built a windmill

A teenager in rural Malawi built a working windmill from scrap materials, powering four lights and two radios for his family. Inspired by a library book but unable to afford school, he experimented and improved on the original design, adding an extra blade for more power. His invention sparked a dream to create larger windmills for irrigation and broader community impact. Ingenuity and persistence turned a simple idea into practical change.

Innovation Flourishes When Resourcefulness Meets Necessity

Africa

design

energy

global issues

interview

library

technology

renewable energy

TED Stage Talk

William Kamkwamba: How I built a windmill