Chris Anderson: William, hi. Good to see you. William Kamkwamba: Thanks. CA: So, we’ve got a picture, I think? Where is this? WK: This is my home. This is where I live. CA: Where? What country? WK: In Malawi, Kasungu. In Kasungu. Yeah, Mala. CA: OK. Now, you’re 19 now? WK: Yeah. I’m 19 years now. CA: Five years ago you had an idea. What was that? WK: I wanted to make a windmill. CA: A windmill? WK: Yeah. CA: What, to power — for lighting and stuff? WK: Yeah. CA: So what did you do? How did you realize that? WK: After I dropped out of school, I went to library, and I read a book that would — “Using Energy,” and I get information about doing the mill. And I tried, and I made it.
CA: So you copied — you exactly copied the design in the book. WK: Ah, no. I just —CA: What happened? WK: In fact, a design of the windmill that was in the book, it has got four — ah — three blades, and mine has got four blades. CA: The book had three, yours had four. WK: Yeah. CA: And you made it out of what? WK: I made four blades, just because I want to increase power. CA: OK.WK: Yeah. CA: You tested three, and found that four worked better? WK: Yeah. I test. CA: And what did you make the windmill out of? What materials did you use? WK: I use a bicycle frame, and a pulley, and plastic pipe, what then pulls —CA: Do we have a picture of that? Can we have the next slide? WK: Yeah. The windmill. CA: And so, and that windmill, what — it worked? WK: When the wind blows, it rotates and generates. CA: How much electricity? WK: 12 watts. CA: And so, that lit a light for the house? How many lights? WK: Four bulbs and two radios. CA: Wow. WK: Yeah.
CA: Next slide — so who’s that? WK: This is my parents, holding the radio. CA: So what did they make of — that you were 14, 15 at the time — what did they make of this? They were impressed? WK: Yeah. CA: And so what’s your — what are you going to do with this? WK: Um —CA: What do you — I mean — do you want to build another one? WK: Yeah, I want to build another one — to pump water and irrigation for crops. CA: So this one would have to be bigger? WK: Yeah. CA: How big? WK: I think it will produce more than 20 the watts. CA: So that would produce irrigation for the entire village? WK: Yeah. CA: Wow. And so you’re talking to people here at TED to get people who might be able to help in some way to realize this dream? WK: Yeah, if they can help me with materials, yeah. CA: And as you think of your life going forward, you’re 19 now, do you picture continuing with this dream of working in energy? WK: Yeah. I’m still thinking to work on energy. CA: Wow.
William, it’s a real honor to have you at the TED conference. Thank you so much for coming. WK: Thank you.