The boy who built a windmill changed a village.Now a village is changing the world.
Moving Windmills Project brings innovation, education, and opportunity to young people in Kasungu, Malawi.
You saw us at the World Cup. Here’s the real story.
William’s Story
In 2001, a famine hit Malawi.
William Kamkwamba was 14. His family couldn’t afford school fees. He dropped out.
But he kept going to the village library.
He found a textbook called “Using Energy” — written in English, a language he couldn’t fully read. From one photograph of a windmill, he taught himself how to build one.
Using scrap metal, bicycle parts, and tractor components, he built a windmill that powered his family’s home.
His neighbors called him crazy. Then the lights came on.
That was 25 years ago.
Today, William’s organization — Moving Windmills Project — runs Grace House, an innovation hub in Kasungu, Malawi, where young people learn engineering, solar technology, and sustainable farming.
Now, McDonald’s and FIFA have put Moving Windmills on the biggest stage in the world — the 2026 World Cup.
The windmill was just the beginning.
William’s full story became a New York Times bestseller and a Netflix film. Watch the trailer →
What’s happening now
Grace House is an innovation hub in Kasungu, Malawi. Young people come here to learn, build, and connect — laptop access, mentorship, solar engineering, sustainable farming, community.
It’s not a classroom. It’s an oasis.
The door is always open. You don’t need an appointment. You just come.
Right now, the next generation of engineers, farmers, and builders is being trained here. They need one thing to keep going.
McDonald’s is bringing Moving Windmills to the world’s biggest stage — the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Billions of fans. One story. A boy from Malawi who built a windmill and changed everything. McDonald’s is using the World Cup to introduce William’s mission to the world — and you can be part of what happens next.
The Current
A $25/month membership that funds a young person’s seat at Grace House — and puts you inside the story.
- A young person’s seat at Grace House — laptop access, mentorship, community
- Solar power that keeps the hub running
- Materials for engineering and farming programs
- A monthly video update from Grace House — behind-the-scenes footage no one else sees
- A name and a face — you’re connected to the cohort you’re supporting
- First access to new stories before they hit social media
This is not a donation. It’s a relationship.
Every dollar goes to Grace House operations. MWP is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. EIN: 26-2381809. Your gift is tax-deductible.
Not ready to join yet? Start with the story.
Get “The Windmill Story” — a free visual guide to how a 14-year-old changed a village, and what’s happening there now. Plus updates from Grace House that don’t hit social media.
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