William Kamkwamba | ADSRM Problem Bank

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William Kamkwamba

Born in 1987

Malawian

Solution created 2002

Problem Background

When William Kamkwamba came out of school because his family couldn’t pay his school fees and his village was facing a big drought and he wanted to help. Later he came across a windmill in a book and he saw that it could help. Then William started researching how to make it.

Solution Background

This was great news for William Kamwamba so once he finished the research he got straight to building. He needed many things so he used all the resources around him. For example, William used metal scraps, a PVC pipe, and used some books to learn how to build the windmill. Then once he built the windmill it had enough power to light four light bulbs and to charge cell phones.

Connections

This relates to my tech for good class because my class is using technology to help our communities and many others. We are doing things very similar to many changemakers like William Kamkwamba, for example, researching and figuring out what we need to use to create the technology, then building, and finally using the technology to help people.

Citations

“William Kamkwamba.” AfroraAfricanBlogAggregator, https://williamkamkwamba.typepad.com/about.html

https://www.groovylabinabox.com/the-boy-who-harnessed-the-wind-william-kamkwamba/#:~:text=Despite%20facing%20skepticism%2C%20Kamkwamba%20ended,parts%20from%20tractors%20and%20bicycles.

“Inventor and Author William Kamkwamba Shares His Story, Humbly.” https://www.hotchkiss.org/post-page/~board/school-news/post/inventor-and-author-william-kamkwamba-shares-his-story-humbly#:~:text=In%202002%2C%20following%20a%20severe,determination%2C%20he%20realized%20his%20dream.