“Where there is a way, there is a will”. “Where there is a necessity, there will be innovation.” This is the story of a Malawian inventor, engineer, and author, William Kamkwamba. Unlike many who would give up once faced with challenges, William pursued a future whose road was a myriad of challenges. Following the famine that spread throughout his country, his hopes of completing school ran dry as his parents could not afford tuition thus he was forced to drop out. However, his love for knowledge was not eclipsed. He found himself studying in the village library where he gained a special interest in a book called “Using Energy.” From here, he got an idea to create a makeshift wind turbine to generate electricity at the domestic level in his family home. The turbine attracted the attention of local farmers and journalists. They were intrigued by this device and the young man who had made it. What made this turbine unique were the materials used including, blue gum trees, bicycle parts, and local scrap.

Subsequently, with the success of the turbine, William went ahead to build two more wind turbines and a solar-powered water pump to supply the first drinking water to his village. In 2007, he was invited to Arusha, Tanzania for a talk at TEDGlobal. His speech realized a significant impact on venture capitalists who pledged to finance his secondary education. He then received a scholarship to the African Leadership Academy and graduated from Dartmouth College in 2014. Kamkwamba wrote a book, “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” which became a requirement for all incoming students at the University of Florida and Boise State University. Later in 2019, the book was made into a film. In 2013, he featured in TIME magazine as one of the “30 people under 30 changing the world”.

This story is an inspiration for all of us to look beyond any impediments and focus on winning.