Ideas worth spreading

How I built a windmill

3,772,217 views | William Kamkwamba • TEDGlobal 2007

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.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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William Kamkwamba

William Kamkwamba

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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."

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.