William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

William Kamkwamba is a Malawian inventor, engineer, and author who gained international fame for building a windmill to power several electrical appliances in his family’s house using gum trees, bicycle parts, and materials collected from a local scrapyard. His incredible journey from a small village to global recognition is a testament to the power of innovation and persistence.

Bryan Mealer is an acclaimed journalist and author known for his deep reporting on Africa and human-interest stories. He previously served as the Associated Press correspondent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is the author of All Things Must Fight to Live.

Together, they co-authored the New York Times bestseller The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. The book tells the inspiring true story of how Kamkwamba’s ingenuity saved his family and village from famine. Their collaboration has been featured in:

• The Wall Street Journal
• The Guardian
• TIME Magazine

The book was later adapted into a critically acclaimed film on Netflix. Kamkwamba is a graduate of Dartmouth College and continues to work on renewable energy projects, while Mealer continues to write and report on global issues.