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 2007

William Kamkwamba: How I built a windmill

Viljams Kamkvamba: Kā es uzbūvēju vējdzirnavas

Filmed:
2,952,899 views

Kad viņš bija tikai 14 gadus vecs, malāviešu izgudrotājs Viljams Kamkvamba savai ģimenei uzbūvēja elektrību ražojošas dzirnavas no rezerves daļām, vadoties pēc aptuveniem plāniem, ko atrada bibliotēkas grāmatā.
- 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.

00:29
ChrisChris AndersonAndersons: WilliamWilliam, hiSveiki. Good to see you.
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Kriss Andersons: Viljam, sveiks!
Prieks tevi redzēt.
00:31
WilliamWilliam KamkwambaKamkwamba: Thankspaldies.
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Viljams Kamkvamba: Paldies.
00:32
CACA: So, we'vemēs esam got a picturebilde, I think? Where is this?
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K.A.: Manuprāt, mums ir attēls.
Kur tas ir?
00:37
WKWK: This is my home. This is where I livedzīvot.
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V.K.: Tās ir manas mājas. Tur es dzīvoju.
00:41
CACA: Where? What countryvalsts?
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K.A.: Kur? Kurā valstī?
00:43
WKWK: In MalawiMalāvija, KasunguKasungu. In KasunguKasungu. Yeah, MalaMala.
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V.K.: Malāvijā, Kasungu. Jā, Malāvijā.
00:46
CACA: OK. Now, you're 19 now?
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K.A.: Labi. Tātad tev tagad ir 19 gadu?
00:49
WKWK: Yeah. I'm 19 yearsgadiem now.
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V.K.: Jā. Man tagad ir 19.
00:51
CACA: FivePieci yearsgadiem agopirms you had an ideaideja. What was that?
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K.A.: Pirms pieciem gadiem
tev radās ideja. Kāda?
00:54
WKWK: I wanted to make a windmillvējdzirnavas.
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V.K.: Es gribēju uzbūvēt vējdzirnavas.
00:56
CACA: A windmillvējdzirnavas?
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K.A.: Vējdzirnavas?
V.K.: Jā.
00:57
WKWK: Yeah.
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00:58
CACA: What, to powerjauda -- for lightingapgaismojums and stuffstuff?
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K.A.: Kāpēc? Lai apgādātu...
apgaismojumam un tamlīdzīgi?
01:02
WKWK: Yeah.
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V.K.: Jā.
01:04
CACA: So what did you do? How did you realizesaprast that?
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K.A.: Ko tu izdarīji? Kā tu to īstenoji?
01:07
WKWK: After I droppedsamazinājās out of schoolskola, I wentdevās to librarybibliotēka,
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V.K.: Pēc tam, kad izstājos no skolas,
es aizgāju uz bibliotēku,
01:11
and I readlasīt a bookgrāmata that would -- "UsingIzmantojot EnergyEnerģija,"
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izlasīju grāmatu
"Enerģijas izmantošana"
01:15
and I get informationinformācija about doing the milldzirnavas.
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un uzzināju, kā būvē vējdzirnavas.
01:18
And I triedmēģinājis, and I madeizgatavots it.
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Un es pamēģināju, un man sanāca.
01:20
(ApplauseAplausi)
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(Smiekli)
(Aplausi)
K.A.: Tātad tu precīzi nokopēji
dizainu no grāmatas.
01:30
CACA: So you copiedkopēts -- you exactlytieši tā copiedkopēts the designdizains in the bookgrāmata.
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01:34
WKWK: AhĀ, no. I just --
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V.K.: Nē. Es vienkārši...
01:36
CACA: What happenednotika?
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K.A.: Kas notika?
01:38
WKWK: In factfakts, a designdizains of the windmillvējdzirnavas that was in the bookgrāmata,
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V.K.: Patiesībā vējdzirnavām,
kas bija grāmatā,
01:42
it has got fourčetri -- ahah -- threetrīs bladesasmeņi,
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bija trīs spārni,
un manām ir četri spārni.
01:46
and mineraktuves has got fourčetri bladesasmeņi.
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01:49
CACA: The bookgrāmata had threetrīs, yourstava had fourčetri.
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K.A.: Grāmatā bija trīs, tavām bija četri.
V.K.: Jā.
01:51
WKWK: Yeah.
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K.A.: Un no kā tu tās uztaisīji?
01:52
CACA: And you madeizgatavots it out of what?
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01:54
WKWK: I madeizgatavots fourčetri bladesasmeņi, just because I want to increasepalielināt powerjauda.
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V.K.: Es uztaisīju četrus spārnus,
jo gribēju palielināt jaudu.
01:59
CACA: OK.
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K.A.: Labi.
V.K.: Jā.
02:00
WKWK: Yeah.
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K.A.: Tu pamēģināji ar trim
un saprati, ka četri būs labāk?
02:01
CACA: You testedpārbaudīts threetrīs, and foundatrasts that fourčetri workedstrādāja better?
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02:03
WKWK: Yeah. I testpārbaude.
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V.K.: Jā. Es pamēģināju.
02:05
CACA: And what did you make the windmillvējdzirnavas out of?
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K.A.: Un no kā tu pagatavoji vējdzirnavas?
Kādus materiālus tu izmantoji?
02:08
What materialsmateriāli did you use?
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02:10
WKWK: I use a bicyclevelosipēds framerāmis, and a pulleytrīsis, and plasticplastmasa pipecaurule, what then pullsvelk --
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V.K.: Es izmantoju velosipēda rāmi, trīsi,
plastmasas cauruli, kas tad velk...
02:16
CACA: Do we have a picturebilde of that? Can we have the nextnākamais slideslidkalniņš?
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K.A.: Vai mums ir attēls?
Vai varam dabūt nākamo slaidu?
02:19
WKWK: Yeah. The windmillvējdzirnavas.
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V.K.: Jā. Vējdzirnavas.
02:21
CACA: And so, and that windmillvējdzirnavas, what -- it workedstrādāja?
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K.A.: Un tās vējdzirnavas... tās darbojās?
02:25
WKWK: When the windvējš blowspūš, it rotatesrotē and generatesģenerē.
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V.K.: Kad pūš vējš,
tās griežas un ražo elektrību.
02:30
CACA: How much electricityelektrība?
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K.A.: Cik daudz elektrības?
VK: 12 vatu.
02:31
WKWK: 12 wattsvatos.
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02:33
CACA: And so, that litlit a lightgaisma for the housemāja? How manydaudzi lightsgaismas?
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K.A.: Un tas ienesa mājā gaismu?
Cik daudz gaismas?
02:38
WKWK: FourČetri bulbssīpoli and two radiosradio.
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V.K.: Četras spuldzes un divus radio.
02:40
CACA: WowWow.
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K.A.: Oho!
V.K.: Jā.
02:41
WKWK: Yeah.
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02:42
(ApplauseAplausi) CACA: NextNākamo slideslidkalniņš --
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(Aplausi)
K.A.: Nākamais slaids.
02:52
so who'skas ir that?
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Kas ir šie cilvēki?
V.K.: Tie ir mani vecāki, turot radio.
02:54
WKWK: This is my parentsvecāki, holdingsaimniecība the radioradio.
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02:57
CACA: So what did they make of -- that you were 14, 15 at the time --
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K.A.: Tev tobrīd bija 14, 15 gadu –
ko viņi par to domāja?
03:01
what did they make of this? They were impressediespaidu?
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Viņi bija pārsteigti?
03:04
WKWK: Yeah.
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V.K.: Jā.
03:05
CACA: And so what's your -- what are you going to do with this?
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K.A.: Un ko tu grasies ar to darīt?
03:07
WKWK: UmUmm --
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V.K.: Mmm...
03:09
CACA: What do you -- I mean -- do you want to buildbūvēt anothercits one?
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K.A.: Es domāju, vai tu grasies
būvēt vēl vienas?
03:13
WKWK: Yeah, I want to buildbūvēt anothercits one --
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V.K.: Jā, es gribu būvēt vēl vienas –
03:16
to pumpsūknis waterūdens and irrigationapūdeņošana for cropskultūraugi.
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lai pumpētu ūdeni un apūdeņotu labību.
03:21
CACA: So this one would have to be biggerlielāks?
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K.A.: Tātad tām būtu jābūt lielākām?
V.K.: Jā.
03:23
WKWK: Yeah.
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K.A.: Cik lielām?
03:24
CACA: How bigliels?
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03:25
WKWK: I think it will produceražot more than 20 the wattsvatos.
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V.K.: Es domāju, ka tās ražos
vairāk par 20 vatiem.
03:31
CACA: So that would produceražot irrigationapūdeņošana for the entireviss villageciems?
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K.A.: Tātad tās apūdeņotu visu ciematu?
03:35
WKWK: Yeah.
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V.K.: Jā.
03:37
CACA: WowWow. And so you're talkingrunājam to people here at TEDTED
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K.A.: Oho! Un tātad tu runā
ar cilvēkiem šeit, TED,
03:40
to get people who mightvarētu be ablespējīgs to help in some way
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lai atrastu cilvēkus, kas varētu
kaut kā īstenot šo sapni?
03:44
to realizesaprast this dreamsapnis?
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03:46
WKWK: Yeah, if they can help me with materialsmateriāli, yeah.
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V.K.: Jā, ja viņi var man
palīdzēt ar materiāliem.
03:50
CACA: And as you think of your life going forwarduz priekšu,
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K.A.: Un, domājot par savu nākotni,
03:53
you're 19 now,
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– tev tagad ir 19 –
vai tu iedomājies sevi
turpinām strādāt ar enerģiju?
03:56
do you picturebilde continuingturpināt with this dreamsapnis of workingstrādā in energyenerģija?
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04:00
WKWK: Yeah. I'm still thinkingdomāšana to work on energyenerģija.
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V.K.: Jā, es domāju
turpināt strādāt ar enerģiju.
04:05
CACA: WowWow. WilliamWilliam, it's a realreāls honorgods to have you at the TEDTED conferencekonference.
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K.A.: Vareni.
V.K.: Jā.
K.A.: Viljam, mums ir liels gods,
ka esi šeit, TED konferencē.
04:09
Thank you so much for comingnāk.
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Paldies, ka ieradies.
V.K.: Paldies jums.
04:11
WKWK: Thank you.
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(Aplausi)
04:13
(ApplauseAplausi)
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K.A.: Viljam! Redzi?
(Aplausi)
Translated by Undīne Krievāne
Reviewed by Ilze Garda

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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