AGE ONE
Will once had an uncle named John. Although this was a common name, he was not a common African man. He was a very successful farmer, growing maize and tobacco. Actually Uncle John was so successful he convinced Will's father to move back to Dowa to make money off of the crops produced on the rich fertile ground. With little money left and now with three children it was necessary to move. Will's father had gone from a trader to a farmer, and with that decision William Kamkwamba's childhood had began.
age six
When Will was six he almost reached death. While playing in the road he had encountered a group of herd boys trying to give away all the gumballs from a large sack. Like any young boy, Will loved gumballs, so he willingly accepted it without thought. Later that day after the gumballs had been eaten, the trader who had owned the gumballs wanted them back. He threatened to use the singanga on whoever stole his gumballs. Will's guilt had reached a breaking point.
"It was me, I ate the stolen gum. I don't want to die, Papa. Don't let them take me." Will screamed.
"It was you, eh?" Will's father replied.
Didn't he realize I was done for?
"Don't worry. I'll find this trader and explain. I'm sure we can work out something."
After Will's father had visited the town of Masaka, where the trader lived, he paid him for the stolen gum and returned home.
"Do you really believe I was finished?" Will worriedly asked.
"Oh yes we were just in time. Williams who knows what was in store for you." His father chuckled.
"It was me, I ate the stolen gum. I don't want to die, Papa. Don't let them take me." Will screamed.
"It was you, eh?" Will's father replied.
Didn't he realize I was done for?
"Don't worry. I'll find this trader and explain. I'm sure we can work out something."
After Will's father had visited the town of Masaka, where the trader lived, he paid him for the stolen gum and returned home.
"Do you really believe I was finished?" Will worriedly asked.
"Oh yes we were just in time. Williams who knows what was in store for you." His father chuckled.
AGE NINE
When William was a boy, super human strength was a true thing. It came in the form of magic and only the most powerful could have it. He was nine at the time when he was bullied. Trusting anyone who could give him advice, Will accepted it from young boy named Shabani.
"Everyday you're complaining about these bullies and I'm tired of hearing it. I can give you mangolomera and you will be the strongest boy in your school." Shabani said.
William was a very gullible boy, so gullible that he turned to the mangolomera magic as his only option. Meeting in the backyard of Geoffrey's house, Shabani began the painful process of inserting the "magic" into Will.
"Are you ready?" Shabani asked.
"Yah I'm ready" Will replied.
"Then sit down."
Blackened bones of the lion and leopard were mixed in a bowl with other powerful roots and herbs. The materials are very scarce only found at the bottom of the ocean, Shabani had told Will.
"So how did you get them?" he asked.
"Look boy don't play around with me. If you want the whole thing it would cost you a lot of money. I'm only giving you a small taste." Responded Shabani.
Shabani took Will's left hand and cut a knuckle using a razor. At the end of the process blood was dripping down Will's hands and arms.
"Give it three days to work into your veins. Don't eat okra or sweet potato leaves. And don't tell anyone." Shabani commanded.
Will tried to hold the tears in, but his knuckles felt like burning coals. Whatever it took to become the strongest, he thought.
Three days later after following all of Shabani's rules Will tried out his magical strength. It was a failed attempt. He had been scammed.
"Everyday you're complaining about these bullies and I'm tired of hearing it. I can give you mangolomera and you will be the strongest boy in your school." Shabani said.
William was a very gullible boy, so gullible that he turned to the mangolomera magic as his only option. Meeting in the backyard of Geoffrey's house, Shabani began the painful process of inserting the "magic" into Will.
"Are you ready?" Shabani asked.
"Yah I'm ready" Will replied.
"Then sit down."
Blackened bones of the lion and leopard were mixed in a bowl with other powerful roots and herbs. The materials are very scarce only found at the bottom of the ocean, Shabani had told Will.
"So how did you get them?" he asked.
"Look boy don't play around with me. If you want the whole thing it would cost you a lot of money. I'm only giving you a small taste." Responded Shabani.
Shabani took Will's left hand and cut a knuckle using a razor. At the end of the process blood was dripping down Will's hands and arms.
"Give it three days to work into your veins. Don't eat okra or sweet potato leaves. And don't tell anyone." Shabani commanded.
Will tried to hold the tears in, but his knuckles felt like burning coals. Whatever it took to become the strongest, he thought.
Three days later after following all of Shabani's rules Will tried out his magical strength. It was a failed attempt. He had been scammed.
This was just the beginning of Will's life, mostly controlled by the values and beliefs of magic. The unknown was fear for everyone. Each experience had a moral that came with it and that's just how life was conducted in Malawi, Africa.
1.| Early Ages | 2.| Age 13 | 3.| The Bicycle Dynamo | 4.| The Famine | 5.| Dr. Mchazime | 6.| The T.E.D. Conference