When encouraging development in science and technology in
Africa we should not allow ourselves to think with limit. It should not be just
computers and apps development. It is the time we came up with models and
pilots of other fields of technology too including engineering and other stuffs.
I remember watching TED ideas worth sharing 2009 Arusha, Tanzania on YouTube and
saw this young boy explaining about his project; the guy was creative enough to
create a source of electrical energy enough to be used with his family and do
other activities with it. It was amazing engineering and the way he was
explaining about it and provided the fact that he did in in the middle of nowhere,
somewhere in the village in Malawi makes to hear about it even more
interesting. The guy used his bicycle to
create a source of energy for his family through the windmill he has built. He
used the bicycle dynamo as the generator; he engineered the bicycle with the
wind mill such that the mechanics behind it makes you to have electricity. The
most interesting thing when he was asked where has you learned to do this? The
answer was I just did.
That is the story of William Kamkwamba, “At age 14, in
poverty and famine, a Malawian boy built a windmill to power his family's home.
Now at 22, William Kamkwamba, who speaks at TED, here, for the second time,
shares in his own words the moving tale of invention that changed his life.” Quoting
the words of the TED presenters at the event, I said to myself really this is
an idea worth sharing as the title of the show goes. Watch Willy on YouTube. and Follow him on Twitter
The irony is to learn two things from this beautiful story
of Willy first, we have innovators in Africa people who can think behind the
horizon and come up with creative ideas which can impact our communities.
Second with the tough condition and limited resources still someone can come up
with a something which can made an impact in technology, so lack of resources and
proper investments should not be the reason hindering us from developing our
ideas into something that really works, they is always a solution even for the
complex problems.
The story of Katunzi, a young boy from Tanzania back in the
days when we were kids he used to engineer some thought of an antenna like device which he
connected to the magnets and speakers and just like that we were able to hear
some frequencies of radio stations although we couldn’t really locate some actual
channels but believe me sometimes we heard people speaking. I don’t even know
where Katunzi is now, last time I check he was not even able to pass his
secondary school education, with the tough life condition am sure he has
already changed his life carrier and do something that really brings money to
his life; but sadly for us we just lost another African innovator. There are so
many other Kamkwambas and Katunzis out there, but who would reach them and
provides them with the hand of support? This is a challenge to all tech
stakeholders especially investors in Africa. We don’t want to give millions to
Katunzi but we could at least give him a chance to talk in TED show to sell out
is Idea.Who knows Katunzi might have been the next Mo Ibrahim or even African Larry Page.