a sound lad

William was fascinated by science. One day, he opened a textbook and saw a picture of a windmill, and his life changed forever.

“I was very interested when I saw the windmill could make electricity and pump water. I thought: ‘That could be a defence against hunger. Maybe I should build one for myself’.”

Neighbors found it very strange that he was spending so much time sifting through garbage. “Many, including my mother, thought I was going crazy. They had never seen a windmill before.”

“People thought I was smoking marijuana. So I told them I was only making something for juju [magic].’ Then they said: 'Ah, I see.’”

He built a 16-ft-tall turbine from spare bicycle parts, a tractor fan blade, and an old shock absorber, and made blades out of plastic pipes- amazing the entire village when he climbed to the top and plugged in a light bulb that slowly flickered to life.

A book titled 'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’ was written about his story, as well as a documentary called ‘William and the Windmill.’