William, a born inventor, became a local hero in his native Malawi at the age of 14. Trapped in poverty and unable to afford school, William found a rough plan in a library book and taught himself to build a windmill. The windmill ultimately powered his family’s home and generated income for his family and his village. In recognition for his ingenuity, he became a TED Africa Fellow and won a scholarship to the African Leadership Academy in South Africa. You can read William’s inspiring story in his best-selling book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope and watch the documentary about his life, Moving Windmills, which has won several awards. 

Some of his recent inventions include solar power lighting for homes, a solar powered pump to extract clean water, and a drip irrigation system. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 2014.