The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

megs

This is a wonderful story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8257153.stm

A truly amazing story! What is more amazing is that it is thought to be virtually impossible to have such an accomplishment without government subsidies, grants, tax credits and regulations. Most importantly, he did it without government INTERFERENCE. How he could do all that without any formal education and without "help" from government is miraculous.

Oh, wait! Thomas Edison had an 8th grade education and did a "few" things without government subsidies, grants and tax credits, too! Most importantly, he also did it without government INTERFERENCE. Mr. Edison still holds the USA record for the most number of patents granted to one individual. How about Nikola Tesla, the man who lit up the world with light. He did that without "help" from the EPA. How could he have done such a thing without the EPA "helping" him?

But in all fairness, the government has been quite successful in owning or "helping" run busineses. Just look at the profits they were able to generate from Amtrak. Why, they've only been losing a billion dollars a year for 30 years, so that's pretty good, isn't it? Or Fannie Mac. Oh, wait. They lost billions. Or Freddie Mac. Ooops. Or General Motors. Double ooops. Or AIG. Triple ooops. Or the way they ran the Resolution Trust Corporation. Why they only lost two or three hundred billion on that one.

And to think that some people feel we need a government to "help innovation."

Perhaps there is a BIG lesson to learn from this incredibly wonderful young man, a lesson that shows the amazing things people can do, if they are just left alone to do it.

Farkel

compound complex

A beautiful and inspirational story.

I am completely at liberty to tell young people whom I encounter [including JWs] to advance their skills, dream and, subsequently, hit the ball out of the park. We were all trained to be educators [sorry, WTB&TS, but some of us took it further and began thinking for ourselves]; those of us who teach professionally are under obligation to show our charges all the wonders that await their personal discovery and utilization. I am blessed to see many young people whom I know follow their dreams.

Gratefully and with hope toward our earnest youth,

CoCo

SixofNine

2002: Drought strikes; he leaves school; builds 5m windmill 2006: Daily Times writes article on him; he builds a 12m windmill 2007: Brings solar power to his village and installs solar pump Mid-2008: Builds Green Machine windmill, pumping well water Sep 2008: Attends inaugural African Leadership Academy class Mid-2009: Builds replica of original 5m windmill uh-oh, Farkel's right, the kid is regressing after government interference!

aligot ripounsous

Amazing kid, hope he will find his way up, for his own benefit and his community's.

betterdaze

http://williamkamkwamba.typepad.com/

Thanks for posting this story megs, it really made my day!

(Not to be a downer... but I cannot help thinking that had his family been Malawian JWs back in the '70s... he may never have been born.)

~Sue