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2010-02-08
Paperwork Hinders Airlifts Of Ill Haitian Children

Shame And Fear: Inside Germany's Catholic Church Abuse Scandal

'Million-Fold Violation Of The Private Sphere' - Germany Consumer Minister Takes On Google Street View

Interview With Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas: 'I Will Not Back Down'

Greek Debt Crisis - How Goldman Sachs Helped Greece Mask Its True Debt

Dow Closes Below 10,000 For First Time Since Nov. 4

Climate Scientists Hit Out At Melting Glaciers Error

Commentary: The Case For Climate Change Must Be Remade From The Ground Upwards

U.S. Health And Human Services Secretary Sebelius 'Very Disturbed' By Anthem Blue Cross Rate Hikes

Ahead Of SWIFT Vote: U.S. Urges European Parliament To Back Bank Data Deal

Commentary: 'The West Must Impose Sanctions On Iran This Month'

Iran's Nuclear Plans Prompt New Calls For Sanctions

U.S. Rep. John P. Murtha Dies At 77

Ukraine Remains Divided After Runoff Election

2010-02-07
Global Market Turmoil Hints That U.S. Recovery May Founder

Editorial: The Truth About The U.S. Deficit

Why Are U.S., Allies Telling Taliban About Coming Offensive?

Testy Conflict With Goldman Helped Push A.I.G. To The Edge

Survey Of Retired N.Y. Police Dept. Officers Raises Questions On Crime Data

Iraqi Militants Post Video Of Kidnapped American

In Britain: Sharp Rise In Number Of Older People With Fatal Allergies

Ukraine Set For A Tilt To The East As Russia's Ally Leads In Polls

Mitch Landrieu Wins New Orleans Mayor's Election By Landslide

Top Canadian Banks Want Government To Cool Off Rise In Home Prices

6.6 Magnitude Hits Off Japan's Southern Coast

2010-02-05
Interview With John And Doris Naisbitt: 'China Is A Country Without An Ideology'

Interview With German Economic Adviser - Euro Zone 'Could Cope With Greek Bankruptcy'

Judge Overturns Boycott Barring Iranians from Dutch Nuclear Sites

Sen. Dodd: Talks With Republicans On Financial Bill At 'Impasse'

U.S. House To Vote On Stripping Health Insurers' Antitrust Protection


'Tilting At Windmills: The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind'
2009-10-03 17:15:27 (18 weeks ago)
Posted By: Intellpuke
(Read 510 times || 0 comments)
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Malawian teenager William Kamkwamba built a generator out of a bicycle and tractor fan. Now he is lauded by environmentalists.

Back in 2001, William Kamkwamba was a semi-educated 14-year-old Malawian who had been forced to drop out of secondary school when, during a terrible drought, his parents could no longer pay for him to go. This week, he has been in California and Chicago on a whirlwind book tour, hailed as a "genius" and appeared on TV chat shows. He has been the toast of international technology conferences, lauded by Al Gore and environmentalists and shared a stage with Bono and Google co-founder Larry Page - as well as co-writing a book about his life, with journalist Bryan Mealer.

When Kamkwamba stopped going to school because his family could no longer afford the fees, he went to his local library, read up on his science, found a DIY (do-it-yourself) guide to making a wind generator and set about trying to build it. Using a tractor fan, shock absorbers, PVC pipes, a bicycle frame and anything else he could lay his hands on, he then built a rudimentary wooden tower, plonked his home-made generator on the top, and eventually got one, and then four bulbs to light up. He is now known as "the boy who harnessed the wind" - the title of his book.

"I managed to teach myself about how motors and electricity worked. Another book featured windmills on the cover, and said they were used to pump water and generate power. I was so inspired I began collecting scrap metal and old bicycle and tractor pieces. Many people, including my mother, thought I was crazy," he wrote in his blog this week.

Kamkwamba is presented to the west as the "humble hero", an extraordinary Malawian who has overcome everything to improve his family's situation, but the reality is that most of Africa, India and the developing world depends on equally innovative and inventive people coming up with ways to make a living with no cash and next to no resources.

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