I looked at my father and looked at those dry fields [in Malawi]. It was the future I couldn’t accept.

Source: "How I Harnessed the Wind." TEDGlobal 2009. Jul. 2009. Conference Presentation. Additional Information: This quote is from inventor and Malawian national William Kamkwamba's 2009 TED Talk about how he built a windmill to power his family's home. In this quote, Kamkwamba is describing the sadness he felt at seeing the dry fields surrounding his family's home. The fields' dryness means they can't be used to grow crops to help lift his family out of poverty. Kamkwamba goes on to describe the steps he took to solve this problem, inventing a windmill that would irrigate his family's land. Watch the inspirational TED Talk here: William Kamkwamba - How I Harnessed the Wind

“How I Harnessed the Wind.” TEDGlobal 2009. Jul. 2009. Conference Presentation.