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William Kamkwamba: How I built a windmill

Name: William Kamkwamba: How I built a windmill
Uploaded: 2026-09-03T16:49:25.352Z
Description: 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.…

VídeoA1Terror y misterioLectura gratuitaHoja de ejercicios imprimible

6minInglés con traducciones al españolCuestionarios

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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.

(Applause)

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.

(Applause) 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.

(Applause)

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