ABOUT THE SPEAKER
William Kamkwamba - Inventor
To power his family's home, young William Kamkwamba built an electricity-producing windmill from spare parts and scrap -- starting him on a journey detailed in the book and film "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind."

Why you should listen

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 Mike McKay's blog Hactivate (which picked up the story from a local Malawi newspaper), TEDGlobal Conference Director Emeka Okafor spent several weeks tracking him down at his home in Masitala Village, Wimbe, and invited him to attend TEDGlobal on a fellowship. Onstage, 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 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. Subsequent projects have included clean water, malaria prevention, solar power and lighting for the six homes in his family compound; a deep-water well with a solar-powered pump for clean water; and a drip irrigation system. Kamkwamba himself returned to school, and is now attending the African Leadership Academy, a new pan-African prep school outside Johannesburg, South Africa.

Kamkwamba's story is documented in his autobiography, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope. A  documentary about Kamkwamba, called William and the Windmill, won the Documentary Feature Grand Jury award at SXSW in 2013 (watch a trailer ). You can support his work and other young inventors at MovingWindmills.org.


More profile about the speaker
William Kamkwamba | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2009

William Kamkwamba: How I harnessed the wind

William Kamkwamba: Ako som spútal vietor

Filmed:
2,717,871 views

Vo veku 14 rokov, v chudobe a hlade, malavajský chlapec postavil veterný mlyn, ktorý zásoboval elektrinou dom jeho rodiny. Teraz sa 22-ročný William Kamkwamba, ktorý je na konferencii TED po druhýkrát, podelí s dojemným príbehom vynálezu, ktorý zmenil jeho život.
- Inventor
To power his family's home, young William Kamkwamba built an electricity-producing windmill from spare parts and scrap -- starting him on a journey detailed in the book and film "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind." Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
Thank you.
0
0
3000
Ďakujem.
00:15
Two yearsleta agopred, I stoodstál on the TEDTED stageštádium in ArushaArusha, TanzaniaTanzánia.
1
3000
4000
Pred dvoma rokmi som stál na javisku TED v Arushi, v Tanzánii.
00:19
I spokehovoril very brieflykrátko about one of my proudestnejhrdější creationsvýtvory.
2
7000
5000
Veľmi stručne som povedal o jednom z mojich výtvorov, na ktorý som veľmi pyšný.
00:24
It was a simpleprostý machinestroj that changedzmenený my life.
3
12000
4000
Bol to jednoduchý stroj, ktorý zmenil môj život.
00:28
Before that time,
4
16000
2000
Predtým
00:30
I had never been away from my home
5
18000
3000
som nikdy nebol preč z domu
00:33
in MalawiMalawi.
6
21000
3000
v Malawi.
00:36
I had never used a computerpočítačový.
7
24000
2000
Nikdy som nepoužil počítač.
00:38
I had never seenvidieť an InternetInternet.
8
26000
4000
Nikdy som nevidel Internet.
00:42
On the stageštádium that day, I was so nervousnervózny.
9
30000
5000
Na javisku ten deň, bol som taký nervózny.
00:47
My Englishangličtina loststratený,
10
35000
4000
Moja angličtina stratená,
00:51
I wanted to vomitzvracať.
11
39000
2000
chcelo sa mi vracať.
00:53
(LaughterSmiech)
12
41000
4000
(Smiech)
00:57
I had never been surroundedobklopený by so manyveľa azunguazungu,
13
45000
4000
Nikdy som nebol obklopený tak veľa azungu,
01:01
whitebiely people.
14
49000
2000
bielymi ľudmi.
01:03
(LaughterSmiech)
15
51000
3000
(Smiech)
01:06
There was a storypríbeh I wouldn'tnie tell you then.
16
54000
3000
Bol tu príbeh, ktorý by som vám vtedy nepovedal.
01:09
But well, I'm feelingpocit good right now.
17
57000
3000
Ale teraz sa cítim dobre.
01:12
I would like to sharezdieľam that storypríbeh todaydnes.
18
60000
3000
Chcel by som sa o ten príbeh podeliť dnes.
01:15
We have sevensedem childrendeti in my familyrodina.
19
63000
2000
V mojej rodine je nás sedem detí.
01:17
All sisterssestry, exceptingOkrem me.
20
65000
4000
Všetky sestry, okrem mňa.
01:21
This is me with my dadocko when I was a little boychlapec.
21
69000
5000
Toto som ja s mojim otcom, keď som bol ešte malý chlapec.
01:26
Before I discoveredobjavené the wondersdivy of scienceveda,
22
74000
3000
Predtým, ako som objavil zázraky vedy,
01:29
I was just a simpleprostý farmerpoľnohospodár
23
77000
2000
som bol len jednoduchým farmárom
01:31
in a countrykrajina of poorchudobný farmerspoľnohospodári.
24
79000
3000
v krajine chudobných farmárov.
01:34
Like everyonekaždý elseinak, we grewrástol maizekukurica.
25
82000
4000
Ako všetci ostatní, pestovali sme kukuricu.
01:38
One yearrok our fortunešťastie turnedobrátil very badzlý.
26
86000
5000
Jeden rok sa nám štastie otočilo chrbtom.
01:43
In 2001 we experiencedskúsený an awfulděsný faminehladomor.
27
91000
5000
V roku 2001 sme zažili hrozný hlad.
01:48
WithinV rámci fivepäť monthsmesiaca all MalawiansMalawijců beganzačal to starvehladovať to deathúmrtia.
28
96000
7000
Počas piatich mesiacov všetky Malawčania začali umierať od hladu.
01:55
My familyrodina atejedol one mealjedlo perza day, at night.
29
103000
4000
Moja rodina jedla jedno jedlo denne, v noci.
01:59
Only threetri swallowslastovičky of nsimansima for eachkaždý one of us.
30
107000
4000
Iba tri hlty nsima pre každého z nás.
02:03
The foodjedlo passespriechody throughskrz our bodiesorgány.
31
111000
2000
Jedlo prešlo našimi telami.
02:05
We droppokles down to nothing.
32
113000
4000
A nič z nás nevychádzalo von.
02:09
In MalawiMalawi, the secondarysekundárne schoolškolské,
33
117000
3000
V Malawi, na strednej škole
02:12
you have to payplatiť schoolškolské feespoplatky.
34
120000
2000
musíte platiť školné.
02:14
Because of the hungerhlad, I was forcedvynútený to droppokles out of schoolškolské.
35
122000
6000
Kvôli hladu som bol nútený odísť zo školy.
02:20
I lookedpozrel at my fatherotec
36
128000
2000
Pozrel som sa na svojho otca,
02:22
and lookedpozrel at those drysucho fieldspoľa.
37
130000
2000
a pozrel som na tie suché polia.
02:24
It was the futurebudúcnosť I couldn'tnemohol acceptsúhlasiť.
38
132000
4000
To bola budúcnosť, ktorú som nemohol prijať.
02:28
I feltplsť very happyšťastný to be at the secondarysekundárne schoolškolské,
39
136000
4000
Bol som šťastný, že som mohol chodiť na strednú školu.
02:32
so I was determinedstanovené to do anything possiblemožný
40
140000
5000
A tak som bol odhodlaný urobiť všetko, čo bolo v mojich silách,
02:37
to receiveobdržať educationvzdelanie.
41
145000
2000
aby sa mi dostalo vzdelania.
02:39
So I wentšiel to a libraryknižnica.
42
147000
2000
Tak som šiel do knižnice.
02:41
I readprečítať booksknihy, scienceveda booksknihy, especiallyobzvlášť physicsfyzika.
43
149000
4000
Čítal som knihy, vedecké knihy, hlavne fyziku.
02:45
I couldn'tnemohol readprečítať Englishangličtina that well.
44
153000
2000
Nevedel som čítať po anglicky tak dobre.
02:47
I used diagramsdiagramy and picturesfotografie
45
155000
3000
Používal som diagramy a obrázky,
02:50
to learnučiť sa the wordsslová around them.
46
158000
5000
aby som sa naučil slová okolo nich.
02:55
AnotherĎalším bookkniha put that knowledgevedomosti in my handsruky.
47
163000
4000
Ďalšia kniha vložila vedomosti do mojich rúk.
02:59
It said a windmillVeterný mlyn could pumpčerpadlo watervoda and generategenerovať electricityelektrina.
48
167000
6000
Hovorilo sa v nej, že veterný mlyn pumpuje vodu a vyrába elektrinu.
03:05
PumpČerpadlo watervoda meantznamenalo irrigationzavlažovanie,
49
173000
3000
Pumpovanie vody znamenalo zavlažovanie.
03:08
a defenseobrana againstproti hungerhlad,
50
176000
2000
Obranu proti hladu,
03:10
whichktorý we were experiencingzažíva by that time.
51
178000
4000
ktorý sme vtedy zažívali.
03:14
So I decidedrozhodol I would buildvybudovať one windmillVeterný mlyn for myselfja sám.
52
182000
4000
Tak som sa rozhodol, že postavím jeden veterný mlyn pre seba.
03:18
But I didn't have materialsmateriály to use,
53
186000
3000
Ale nemal som potrebný materiál, ktorý by som použil.
03:21
so I wentšiel to a scrapšrot yardyard
54
189000
2000
Tak som šiel na sklad šrotu,
03:23
where I foundnájdených my materialsmateriály.
55
191000
3000
kde som našiel svoj materiál.
03:26
ManyMnoho people, includingpočítajúc do toho my mothermatka,
56
194000
4000
Veľa ľudí, vrátane mojej matky,
03:30
said I was crazybláznivý.
57
198000
2000
hovorilo, že som blázon.
03:32
(LaughterSmiech)
58
200000
2000
(Smiech)
03:34
I foundnájdených a tractortraktor fanventilátor,
59
202000
2000
Našiel som ventilátor z traktora,
03:36
shockotras absorberabsorbér, PVCPVC pipesrúrky.
60
204000
2000
tlmič otrasov, plastové rúrky.
03:38
UsingPomocou a bicyclebicykel framerám
61
206000
3000
Použitím rámu z bicykla
03:41
and an oldstarý bicyclebicykel dynamoDynamo,
62
209000
4000
a starého bicyklového dynama
03:45
I builtpostavený my machinestroj.
63
213000
2000
som postavil svoj stroj.
03:47
It was one lightsvetlo at first.
64
215000
3000
Na začiatku to bolo jedno svetlo.
03:50
And then fourštyri lightssvetla,
65
218000
3000
A potom štyri žiarovky
03:53
with switchesprepínače, and even a circuitobvod breakerbreaker,
66
221000
5000
so zapínačmi, a dokonca prerušovač vedenia
03:58
modeledmodelovaný after an electricelektrický bellzvon.
67
226000
4000
podľa predlohy z letáku o elektrine.
04:02
AnotherĎalším machinestroj pumpslodičky watervoda
68
230000
4000
Ďalší stroj pumpoval vodu
04:06
for irrigationzavlažovanie.
69
234000
3000
na zavlažovanie.
04:09
QueuesFronty of people startštart liningpodšívka up at my housedom
70
237000
3000
Rady ľudí sa začali zbiehať pred mojím domom,
04:12
(LaughterSmiech)
71
240000
2000
(Smiech)
04:14
to chargeúčtovať theirich mobilemobilné phonetelefón.
72
242000
2000
aby si nabili mobily.
04:16
(ApplausePotlesk)
73
244000
4000
(Potlesk)
04:20
I could not get ridzbaviť of them.
74
248000
2000
Nemohol som sa ich zbaviť.
04:22
(LaughterSmiech)
75
250000
2000
(Smiech)
04:24
And the reportersreportéri cameprišiel too,
76
252000
3000
A prišli aj reportéri,
04:27
whichktorý leadolovo to bloggersbloggerov
77
255000
2000
čo viedlo k blogerom,
04:29
and whichktorý leadolovo to a call from something calledvolal TEDTED.
78
257000
5000
čo viedlo k telefonátu od niečoho nazvaného TED.
04:34
I had never seenvidieť an airplanelietadlo before.
79
262000
2000
Nikdy predtým som nevidel lietadlo.
04:36
I had never sleptspal in a hotelhotel.
80
264000
3000
Nikdy som nespal v hoteli.
04:39
So, on stageštádium that day in ArushaArusha,
81
267000
4000
A tak, na javisku ten deň v Arushi,
04:43
my Englishangličtina loststratený,
82
271000
3000
moja angličtina stratená,
04:46
I said something like,
83
274000
3000
povedal som niečo ako,
04:49
"I triedskúšal. And I madevyrobený it."
84
277000
4000
"Pokúsil som sa. A dokázal som to."
04:53
So I would like to say something
85
281000
2000
A tak by som chcel povedať niečo
04:55
to all the people out there like me
86
283000
3000
všetkým ľuďom tam vonku, ľuďom ako ja,
04:58
to the AfricansAfričanov, and the poorchudobný
87
286000
3000
Afričanom a chudobným,
05:01
who are strugglingzápasí with your dreamssny.
88
289000
4000
ktorí bojujú o svoje sny,
05:05
God blesspožehnať.
89
293000
2000
Boh Vám žehnaj.
05:07
Maybe one day you will watch this on the InternetInternet.
90
295000
4000
Možno si jedného dňa pozriete toto na Internete.
05:11
I say to you, trustdôvera yourselfsám and believe.
91
299000
5000
Hovorím vám, dôverujte si a verte.
05:16
WhateverČokoľvek happensdeje, don't give up.
92
304000
2000
Čokoľvek sa stane, nevzdávajte sa.
05:18
Thank you.
93
306000
2000
Ďakujem.
05:20
(ApplausePotlesk)
94
308000
30000
(Potlesk)
Translated by Janka Pazurikova
Reviewed by Richard Hrdlovič

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
William Kamkwamba - Inventor
To power his family's home, young William Kamkwamba built an electricity-producing windmill from spare parts and scrap -- starting him on a journey detailed in the book and film "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind."

Why you should listen

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 Mike McKay's blog Hactivate (which picked up the story from a local Malawi newspaper), TEDGlobal Conference Director Emeka Okafor spent several weeks tracking him down at his home in Masitala Village, Wimbe, and invited him to attend TEDGlobal on a fellowship. Onstage, 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 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. Subsequent projects have included clean water, malaria prevention, solar power and lighting for the six homes in his family compound; a deep-water well with a solar-powered pump for clean water; and a drip irrigation system. Kamkwamba himself returned to school, and is now attending the African Leadership Academy, a new pan-African prep school outside Johannesburg, South Africa.

Kamkwamba's story is documented in his autobiography, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope. A  documentary about Kamkwamba, called William and the Windmill, won the Documentary Feature Grand Jury award at SXSW in 2013 (watch a trailer ). You can support his work and other young inventors at MovingWindmills.org.


More profile about the speaker
William Kamkwamba | Speaker | TED.com

Data provided by TED.

This site was created in May 2015 and the last update was on January 12, 2020. It will no longer be updated.

We are currently creating a new site called "eng.lish.video" and would be grateful if you could access it.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to write comments in your language on the contact form.

Privacy Policy

Developer's Blog

Buy Me A Coffee