Picture of his windmill, here: http://blog.ecuamedios.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/eolico_malawi.jpg
I enjoy reading about peoples' misery on the FML website. I know that's a mean statement but I take solace in the fact that I am not alone on my bad days. It is easier to laugh at someone's misfortune if we do not know them, especially if that person's misfortune is not that big a deal. People like to think their lives suck without realizing how great they have it, I should know this- I worked at a country club this summer. We all, however, like to complain about the little things without realizing that we are very lucky. We have a roof over our heads and most of us have full access to electricity, food, water and clothing that we are more than happy to waste, because we have a lot of it.
What am I writing about is William Kamkwamba, his story brought (happy) tears to my eyes. William is from Malawi, Africa, at age 14 he wanted to go to school but his parents could not afford the $80 a year tuition. This is because Malawi was suffering a devastating drought and William's parents where farmers. William Kamkwamba was not deterred, however, he attended school for as long as he could until administrative authorities kicked him out. After that he decided to educate himself and everyday studied at the small library in his village. There, he found a book that would change his life: a 5th grade textbook.
A chapter in the textbook spoke about windmills and its advantages to use for electricity purposes. He saw windmills as a way to provide his village with electricity and pump water. Instead of just wishing, he made things happen. So he studied an old drawing of a windmill and worked on how he could build one of his own. He drew a plan of his own and set out to build a windmill with tools that he could produce from his environment, such as a bicycle wheel. His result was a homemade windmill, that soon garnered attention from a teacher's organization.
William was invited to a technology convention about windmills and what they could bring to his village. Now he has three windmills at his home and another in a nearby village. His story is remarkable: http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/a_malawian_miracle/
I enjoy reading about peoples' misery on the FML website. I know that's a mean statement but I take solace in the fact that I am not alone on my bad days. It is easier to laugh at someone's misfortune if we do not know them, especially if that person's misfortune is not that big a deal. People like to think their lives suck without realizing how great they have it, I should know this- I worked at a country club this summer. We all, however, like to complain about the little things without realizing that we are very lucky. We have a roof over our heads and most of us have full access to electricity, food, water and clothing that we are more than happy to waste, because we have a lot of it.
What am I writing about is William Kamkwamba, his story brought (happy) tears to my eyes. William is from Malawi, Africa, at age 14 he wanted to go to school but his parents could not afford the $80 a year tuition. This is because Malawi was suffering a devastating drought and William's parents where farmers. William Kamkwamba was not deterred, however, he attended school for as long as he could until administrative authorities kicked him out. After that he decided to educate himself and everyday studied at the small library in his village. There, he found a book that would change his life: a 5th grade textbook.
A chapter in the textbook spoke about windmills and its advantages to use for electricity purposes. He saw windmills as a way to provide his village with electricity and pump water. Instead of just wishing, he made things happen. So he studied an old drawing of a windmill and worked on how he could build one of his own. He drew a plan of his own and set out to build a windmill with tools that he could produce from his environment, such as a bicycle wheel. His result was a homemade windmill, that soon garnered attention from a teacher's organization.
William was invited to a technology convention about windmills and what they could bring to his village. Now he has three windmills at his home and another in a nearby village. His story is remarkable: http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/a_malawian_miracle/
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