William Kamkwamba
William Kamkwamba: Moving Windmills Innovation Center
William Kamkwamba
Keynote Speaker
Graduate of African Leadership Academy Inaugural class; TED Fellow; Dartmouth College Graduate; IDEO.org Global Fellow; Co-Founder of Moving Windmills Project; New York Times Best-selling author of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
William Kamkwamba's story exemplifies the power of resourcefulness and innovation in action. Faced with a critical challenge in his Malawian village, he didn't wait for external solutions. Instead, his ingenuity was sparked by a library book on windmills. He defied limitations by leveraging his knowledge to engineer a wind turbine from scrap materials. This remarkable feat brought electricity and positive change to his community.
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William Kamkwamba'S SPEAKING FEE $25K - $40K
A testament to human potential, William Kamkwamba’s journey extends far beyond his remarkable windmill. This Dartmouth College graduate and self-taught inventor is also an entrepreneur, TED Fellow, and has collaborated with design powerhouse IDEO.org and the WiderNet Project. William is an adamant believer in the power of human-centered design and experienced farmer, William has consulted on projects developing agricultural technology in Myanmar, public sanitation solutions in India, and supporting victims of gender-based violence in Kenya. In 2008, William co-founded the Moving Windmills Project, which empowers Malawian youth to implement simple technologies that ease daily burdens, increase crop yields, and help young people lead more secure lives.
Kamkwamba’s approach embodies the key principles of effective problem-solving: identifying needs, utilizing available resources, and implementing creative solutions. His story serves as a powerful inspiration for organizations. By empowering their teams to think outside the box, embrace challenges, and leverage their knowledge, they can drive positive outcomes through innovation, just like William Kamkwamba.
William’s inspiring story resonated globally. His New York Times bestselling memoir, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, co-authored with Bryan Mealer, details his remarkable journey. The story has also been adapted into a Netflix film directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, which received critical acclaim, including the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. With his autobiography translated into nearly twenty languages and selling over a million copies worldwide, William’s impact continues to inspire future generations.
William Kamkwamba’s achievements…should serve as a model of what one person, with an inspired idea, can do to tackle the crisis we face.
Al Gore, former US Vice President and Nobel Laureate
Featured Videos
William Kamkwamba
William Kamkwamba: How I Built A Windmill
William Kamkwamba
Meet William Kamkwamba
William Kamkwamba
William Kamkwamba on the Moving Windmills Project
William Kamkwamba
William Kamkwamba on the Importance of Education
William Kamkwamba
William Kamkwamba on Netflix Telling His Story
William Kamkwamba
William Kamkwamba: Moving Windmills Innovation Center
William Kamkwamba’s Speech Topics
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How I Harnessed the Wind
William Kamkwamba’s incredible journey of resilience against all odds holds valuable lessons for schools, communities, companies, and teams of all kinds. William’s decision to take hold of his destiny and transform his community speak to the life-altering power of curiosity.
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Everyday Innovation
William works to empower a generation of creative problem solvers from Kasungu to the world. Smallholder farmers in Malawi are tackling climate change with inventive solutions that the world needs to learn from. William shares valuable lessons from creating solutions to pressing problems in solar electricity, agro-technology, and water access.
Works by William Kamkwamba
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