The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind– Not as Helpless as We Think We Are

Written by: Sawsan Srour 

COVID-19 has brought hardships upon millions of people around the world. For students in particular, the challenge of distance learning has been a struggle. Students are not receiving the quality of education they would have in school,  despite the efforts from teachers and administrators. That being said, the story of William Kamkwamba will inspire and encourage students when there are hardships and circumstances out of our control occur. We are not helpless.

Based on a true story, the Netflix documentary The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind illustrates the journey of William Kamkwamba, a thirteen-year old school boy living in Wimbe, Malawi. He tends to spend his time looking through a junkyard for potential electronic components to use. As he turns thirteen, he is finally eligible to pay his school tuition. However, shortly after, he got suspended because his parents couldn’t keep up with the fees. This shortcoming did not stop William, as he spent time in the library to learn about electrical engineering and energy production. In the mid-2000s, the villagers of Wimbe suffer a severe drought season, resulting in a famine, as people can no longer sufficiently provide food for their families. The situation got really devastating as riots against government rations and resulted in William’s family's meager grain store being robbed. This had led to many people abandoning their home for better opportunities, even William’s sister who left a note stating that there was now “one less mouth to feed” for her family.

William, desiring to help his people, came up with a plan to produce a windmill to power an electric water pump. Shortly after, a full-size wind turbine stood right in front of them providing water to the crops.


William’s story is a reminder that no matter how young you are and how bad the situation might be, the possibilities are endless and you just have to think outside of the box.

Source: Tribal Tribune

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