I try and I Made It: Success Secret of William Kamkwamba

After teaching himself to build a windmill which generated power to power some electrical appliances in his family house, the news of Kamkwamba’s feat went viral, attracting news media and global attention. For previous article on Kamkwamba, CLICK THIS LINK.

One influential personality that got attracted to Kamkwamba is Mr. Emeka Okafor, a Nigerian who was also program Director for the TEDGlobal 2007 conference ("TED" stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design).

In June 2007, Kamkwamba boarded a plane, courtesy TEDGlobal for the TEDGlobal conference in Arusha, Tanzania. As he arrived the conference, he stood shyly in a corner where Tom Reilly, community director of TED spoke with him. According to Reilly, “I’d heard his story from Emeka Okafor but after speaking with him for 10 minutes, I realized that he was an extraordinary young man and his accomplishment was more profound than the anecdote I heard back in December 2006. He struck me as a person of great character and had a certain calmness to him. I immediately realised that we had to get him up on stage, even though he wasn’t scheduled to speak.”

Kamkwamba was put on stage. As witnessed by the audience, his English was poor, but his story was inspiring. When he was asked how he made the windmill, 450 inventors, scientists, doctors and entrepreneurs watched him struggle to find the words, which eventually became the motto of the conference: “I TRY AND I MADE IT.”

Explaining the audience’s response to kamkwamba’s speech, Reilly told www.thestar.com (Toronto Star Newspapers): “William brought the house down. People were applauding and laughing and crying.”

Here lies the secret of Kamkwamba’s success: “I TRY AND I MADE IT.” It is not that he was taught by engineers, he was only an ordinary Malawian citizen. It was not that he travelled overseas to acquire the training, he could not afford to travel out of his village by road, not even to talk of affording flight ticket to foreign land. He taught himself to build a windmill with the aid of a book, titled, USING ENERGY. He followed the diagrams and instructions contained in the book, and he successfully built the windmill which generated power to power the electrical appliances in his family compound in his village – Wimbe.

Now, who told you that books cannot make you rich? Tell the person to go and sit down. It is books that make doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc, successful. It was just ONE book (not two) that brought Kamkwamba fame and fortune. The next time someone wants to discourage you from reading, tell him to go and sit down.

Impact of Kamkwamba’s Windmill Ingenuity

Was Kamkwamba’s windmill ingenuity a ruse? No, it wasn’t. that his windmills are still functional till today is a pointer to the fact that he was genuine and authentic. It is this authenticity that made Tom Reilly, community director of TED to set up an NGO called, MOVING WINDMILLS to support him. They are having lots of donors because so many people were inspired or moved by Kamkwamba’s achievement.

Through the foundation, a well was drilled near Kamkwamba’s clay-brick house and one of the three windmills built by him is used to pump water from the well. Women in the village no longer trek1 ½ to 4 hours to bring water to their homes. Moving Windmills has built classrooms for Wimbe Primary School, installed solar panels at his home and schools.

Symbol of Hope

Kamkwamba has become a symbol of hope for Africa. According to Brian Mealer, co-author of Kamkwamba’s autobiography, titled, THE BOY WHO HARNESED THE WIND, Africa is not a hopeless continent needing rescue. If there is one William Kamkwamba, then, there are thousands across the continent. We need to focus our energy and find them. 

Dear, reader, whether you will make it or not is up to you. The key to making it has been delivered into your hand: GO AND TRY THE BEST YOU CAN AND ALSO DEVELOP A READING CULTURE. AND FINALLY, PRACTICE WHAT YOU READ IN BOOKS. 

Until I come your way soon, go and live victoriously!