Kamkwamba autographs a copy of his book for Elizabeth Crimmins, 12, at Randolph Middle School in Charlotte (Photo: The Charlotte Observer)
Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article262206322.html#storylink=cpy
William Kamkwamba, the Malawian author behind “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind”, on Monday visited Randolph Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina where the young reader’s version of his book is part of the school curriculum.
Sixth graders at Randolph use the book in their language arts class and on Monday they got a chance to meet the man behind the story.
According to Charlotte Observer, Kamkwamba also visited the school to dedicate a small windmill he made at the school in Charlotte, the city where his wife Olivia Scott Kamkwamba went to high school.
During the visit, Kamkwamba signed the students’ copies of his book which talks about the struggles he faced to access education and how he used locally available materials to build a windmill in his village in Kasungu. The book was adapted into a Netflix film with the same title in 2019.
One of the students, Elizabeth Crimmins, 12, said she learned from the book about persistence.
“I learned that no matter what other people say, to always continue to never give up,” Crimmins told The Charlotte Observer.
Wright Britt, 12, said he enjoyed Kamkwamba’s book mainly because science is his favourite subject in school. He added that the lesson he learned from the book is that it is important to always ask questions.
“Even if you think that you’re asking too much, you never really are. You just (have to) try to learn as much as you can, always,” Britt said.
Kamkwamba made the small windmill in Charlotte by hand and he expressed hope that it will serve as a reminder of the powerful combination of hard work and curiosity.
He said: “I think it helps young people know that they can have challenges, but they’re still going to be able to achieve so many good things in life,” he said. “(I want it to show) that they shouldn’t be doubting themselves.”
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