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

William Kamkwamba – apie vėjo jėgainės statybą

Filmed:
2,952,899 views

Būdamas vos 14-os, išradėjas iš Malavio Viljamas Kamkvamba (William Kamkwamba) pastatė savo šeimai elektrą gaminančią vėjo jėgainę – pagal apytikrius brėžinius iš bibliotekos knygos, naudodamas atliekamas dalis.
- 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 AndersonAnderson: WilliamWilliam, hiLabas. Good to see you.
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Krisas Anderson (Chris Anderson): Viljamai, labas. Malonu tave matyti.
00:31
WilliamWilliam KamkwambaKamkwamba: Thanksačiū.
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Viljamas Kamkvamba: Ačiū.
00:32
CACA: So, we'vemes turime got a picturenuotrauka, I think? Where is this?
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Krisas: Taigi, matome nuotrauką. Kokia tai vieta?
00:37
WKWK: This is my home. This is where I livegyventi.
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Viljamas: Tai mano namai. Aš čia gyvenu.
00:41
CACA: Where? What countryŠalis?
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Krisas: Kur? Kokioje šalyje?
00:43
WKWK: In MalawiMalavis, KasunguKasungu. In KasunguKasungu. Yeah, MalaMala.
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Viljamas: Kasungu, Malavyje. Kasungu. Taip. Malavyje.
00:46
CACA: OK. Now, you're 19 now?
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Krisas: Supratau. Dabar esi 19-os?
00:49
WKWK: Yeah. I'm 19 yearsmetai now.
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Viljamas: Taip, man dabar 19 metų.
00:51
CACA: FivePenki yearsmetai agoprieš you had an ideaidėja. What was that?
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Krisas: Prieš penkerius metus tau kilo viena idėja. Kokia?
00:54
WKWK: I wanted to make a windmillvėjo malūnas.
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Viljamas: Norėjau pastatyti vėjo jėgainę.
00:56
CACA: A windmillvėjo malūnas?
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Krisas: Vėjo jėgainę?
00:57
WKWK: Yeah.
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Viljamas: Taip.
00:58
CACA: What, to powergalia -- for lightingapšvietimas and stuffdaiktai?
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Krisas: Ir kam ji būtų skirta? Apšvietimui ir panašiai?
01:02
WKWK: Yeah.
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Viljamas: Taip.
01:04
CACA: So what did you do? How did you realizesuvokti that?
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Krisas: Ir ką tu darei? Kaip tu tą idėją įgyvendinai?
01:07
WKWK: After I droppednukrito out of schoolmokykla, I wentnuėjo to librarybiblioteka,
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Viljamas: Kai nustojau lankyti mokyklą, nuėjau į biblioteką
01:11
and I readskaityti a bookknyga that would -- "UsingNaudojant EnergyEnergijos,"
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ir perskaičiau knygą, kuri vadinosi "Energijos naudojimas",
01:15
and I get informationinformacija about doing the millmalūnas.
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iš jos sužinojau, kaip pastatyti jėgainę.
01:18
And I triedbandė, and I madepagamintas it.
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Pabandžiau ir padariau.
01:20
(ApplausePlojimai)
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(Plojimai)
01:30
CACA: So you copiedkopijuoti -- you exactlytiksliai copiedkopijuoti the designdizainas in the bookknyga.
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Krisas: Tai tu tiksliai nukopijavai schemą, kuri buvo knygoje.
01:34
WKWK: AhAK, no. I just --
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Viljamas. Ne. Aš tik...
01:36
CACA: What happenedįvyko?
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Krisas: Kas nutiko?
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WKWK: In factfaktas, a designdizainas of the windmillvėjo malūnas that was in the bookknyga,
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Viljamas: ...iš tiesų jėgainė knygoje
01:42
it has got fourketuri -- ahah -- threetrys bladesmentės,
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buvo su keturiomis, tiksliau - su trimis mentimis,
01:46
and minemano has got fourketuri bladesmentės.
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o mano turėjo keturias mentis.
01:49
CACA: The bookknyga had threetrys, yourstavo had fourketuri.
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Krisas: Knygoje buvo trys, o taviškė turėjo keturias.
01:51
WKWK: Yeah.
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Viljamas: Taip.
01:52
CACA: And you madepagamintas it out of what?
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Krisas: Ir iš ko tu ją padarei?
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WKWK: I madepagamintas fourketuri bladesmentės, just because I want to increasepadidinti powergalia.
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Viljamas: Aš padariau keturias mentis, nes norėjau padidinti galią.
01:59
CACA: OK.
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Krisas: Supratau.
02:00
WKWK: Yeah.
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Viljamas: Taip.
02:01
CACA: You testedišbandyta threetrys, and foundrasta that fourketuri workeddirbo better?
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Krisas: Tu išbandei tris ir supratai, kad keturios veikia geriau?
02:03
WKWK: Yeah. I testbandymas.
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Viljamas: Taip. Išbandžiau.
02:05
CACA: And what did you make the windmillvėjo malūnas out of?
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Krisas: Ir iš ko tu padarei jėgainę?
02:08
What materialsmedžiagos did you use?
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Kokias medžiagas naudojai?
02:10
WKWK: I use a bicycledviratis framerėmas, and a pulleyskriemulys, and plasticplastmasinis pipevamzdis, what then pullstraukia --
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Viljamas: Panaudojau dviračio rėmą, skridinį, plastmasinį vamzdį, gumą...
02:16
CACA: Do we have a picturenuotrauka of that? Can we have the nextKitas slideskaidrę?
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Krisas: Ar mes turime nuotrauką? Galima kitą skaidrę?
02:19
WKWK: Yeah. The windmillvėjo malūnas.
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Viljamas: Taip. Vėjo jėgainė.
02:21
CACA: And so, and that windmillvėjo malūnas, what -- it workeddirbo?
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Krisas: Na, ir toji vėjo jėgainė veikė?
02:25
WKWK: When the windvėjas blowssmūgiai, it rotatessukasi and generatesgeneruoja.
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Viljamas: Pučiant vėjui ji sukasi ir generuoja energiją.
02:30
CACA: How much electricityelektra?
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Krisas: Kiek elektros generuoja?
02:31
WKWK: 12 wattsvatai.
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Viljamas: Dvylika vatų.
02:33
CACA: And so, that litapšviestas a lightšviesa for the housenamas? How manydaug lightsžiburiai?
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Krisas: Ir to pakako namui apšviesti? Kiek lempučių?
02:38
WKWK: FourKeturi bulbslemputės and two radiosradijo stotis.
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Viljamas: Keturioms lemputėms ir dviems radijo imtuvams.
02:40
CACA: WowOho.
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Krisas: Oho.
02:41
WKWK: Yeah.
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Viljamas: Taip.
02:42
(ApplausePlojimai) CACA: NextKitas slideskaidrę --
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Krisas: (Plojimai) Ką gi, kita skaidrė –
02:52
so who'skas yra that?
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kas joje?
02:54
WKWK: This is my parentstėvai, holdinglaikymasis the radioradijas.
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Viljamas: Čia mano tėvai, perkantys radijo imtuvą.
02:57
CACA: So what did they make of -- that you were 14, 15 at the time --
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Krisas: Ką jie apie tai galvojo – tu buvai 14-os ar 15-os tuo metu –
03:01
what did they make of this? They were impressedsužavėtas?
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ką jie galvojo? Ar jie buvo nustebinti?
03:04
WKWK: Yeah.
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Viljamas: Taip.
03:05
CACA: And so what's your -- what are you going to do with this?
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Krisas: Ir ką tu ketini toliau daryti su visu tuo?
03:07
WKWK: UmUmm --
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Viljamas: Hm...
03:09
CACA: What do you -- I mean -- do you want to buildstatyti anotherkitas one?
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Krisas: Turiu galvoje, ar ketini statyti dar vieną?
03:13
WKWK: Yeah, I want to buildstatyti anotherkitas one --
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Viljamas: Taip, noriu pastatyti dar vieną –
03:16
to pumpsiurblys watervanduo and irrigationdrėkinimo for cropspasėliai.
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pumpuoti vandeniui ir drėkinimui – pasėlių drėkinimui.
03:21
CACA: So this one would have to be biggerdidesnis?
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Krisas: Ši turėtų būti didesnė?
03:23
WKWK: Yeah.
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Viljamas: Taip.
03:24
CACA: How bigdidelis?
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Krisas: Kokio dydžio?
03:25
WKWK: I think it will producepagaminti more than 20 the wattsvatai.
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Viljamas: Manau, generuos daugiau nei 20 vatų.
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CACA: So that would producepagaminti irrigationdrėkinimo for the entirevisa villagekaimas?
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Krisas: To užteks viso kaimo pasėlių drėkinimui?
03:35
WKWK: Yeah.
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Viljamas: Taip.
03:37
CACA: WowOho. And so you're talkingkalbėti to people here at TEDTED
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Krisas: Oho. Čia, TED konferencijoje, apie tai pasakoji tikėdamasis,
03:40
to get people who mightgali be ablegalingas to help in some way
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kad atsiras žmonių, kurie kažkaip tau galės pagelbėti
03:44
to realizesuvokti this dreamsvajoti?
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realizuoti savo svajonę?
03:46
WKWK: Yeah, if they can help me with materialsmedžiagos, yeah.
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Viljamas: Taip, jei jie galėtų padėti – su medžiagomis, taip.
03:50
CACA: And as you think of your life going forwardPirmyn,
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Krisas: Ir kai tu žiūri į savo ateitį,
03:53
you're 19 now,
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tau dabar 19 metų –
03:56
do you picturenuotrauka continuingtęsinys with this dreamsvajoti of workingdirba in energyenergija?
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ar tu įsivaizduoji save dirbantį prie šios svajonės, dirbantį su energija?
04:00
WKWK: Yeah. I'm still thinkingmąstymas to work on energyenergija.
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Viljamas: Taip. Aš ketinu ir toliau dirbti su energija.
04:05
CACA: WowOho. WilliamWilliam, it's a realrealus honorgarbė to have you at the TEDTED conferencekonferencija.
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Krisas: Oho. Viljamai, mums didžiulė garbė būti su tavimi TED konferencijoje.
04:09
Thank you so much for comingartėja.
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Ačiū, kad atvykai.
04:11
WKWK: Thank you.
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Viljamas: Ačiū jums.
04:13
(ApplausePlojimai)
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(Plojimai)
Translated by Andrius Burnickas
Reviewed by Daina Karlonaite

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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