2025 – Season 15
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
by William Kamkwamba
Hailed as “a moving and exciting story” by former Vice President Al Gore, this inspiring memoir aims to bring the Malden community together to explore themes of innovation, sustainability, and the power of perseverance.
Set in drought-stricken Malawi, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind tells the remarkable story of a young boy who, despite immense challenges, used his ingenuity to bring electricity and water to his village. William Kamkwamba, faced with food scarcity and limited resources, dreamed of harnessing the power of wind energy after learning about windmills in school textbooks. Undeterred by the skepticism of his fellow villagers, who called him “misala” (crazy), William’s relentless determination and creativity transformed his community, proving the impact that one person can make.
Carter Roberts, CEO of World Wildlife Fund (WWF), praised the book, calling it “a testament to the power of a dream and the freedom that comes from accomplishing a sustainable way of life.” Roberts emphasized how its message resonates more strongly than ever today, as communities around the world, including right here in Malden, face the impacts of climate change and food insecurity. “Read this book, act on its message, and pass it on,” Roberts urged.
Malden Reads used The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind to spark meaningful conversations about sustainability and innovation. Through partnerships with community groups, we explored themes such as water conservation, gardening for food sources, and the importance of teaching science to the next generation.
About the Author
William Kamkwamba (born 1987) is a Malawian inventor and author who worked on projects to improve the lives of his family and the residents of the rural village in Malawi where he grew up. As a teenager in 2001, he made a windmill out of scrap materials that provided electricity to his family’s house. Kamkwamba also helped build windmills to provide clean water for drinking and running an irrigation system for crops.
Kamkwamba, in 2008, founded a non-profit organization, Moving Windmills, to support communities in Malawi with hands-on development projects. This includes sending children and underprivileged people to schools, building low-cost wells, installing solar powered pumps, and renovating local schools with new facilities and learning materials.
Kamkwamba is one of four recipients of the 2010 GO Ingenuity Award for inventors, artists, and makers that promote the sharing of their innovations and skills with marginalized youth in developing nations.
In 2014, Kamkwamba received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, where he was elected to the Sphinx Senior Honor Society.
In 2013 TIME magazine named Kamkwamba one of the “30 People Under 30 Changing The World.”
Kamkwamba is the subject of the documentary film William and the Windmill, which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature at the 2013 South By Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas. In 2019, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind was adapted into a film on Netflix.
