#3: Keep learning!

[A true story]

Photos: Erik Hersman

I will tell you about a boy. His name is William. He lives in Malawi. It is a country (کشور) in Africa. In this photo he is making a windmill (اسیاب بادی).  When William was 14 his family became very poor (فقیر). For a very long time there was no rain. His family could not grow food and vegetables. Williams father did not have money to pay (پرداختن) for school. William had to leave (ول کردن) school. He was very sad.
     But William did not complain (شکایت کردن). He did not stop learning (یاد گرفتن). He walked to the library (
کتابخانه) to read books. He taught (تعلیم دادن) himself English. Then he learned about electricity (برق). He used (استفاده کردن) what he learned to help his village.

In the library he found (find:  یافتن) a book called, Using Energy. The book showed (نشان دادن) how windmills can make electricity. William began to search (جستجو کردن) for parts (جزء) to make a windmill. He looked in piles of trash (نخاله).

He found old bicycles, wire (سیم), and pieces (قطعه) of metal (فلز). With these things he started to make a windmill. Everyone laughed (خندیدن) at him! The people said he must be sent away (ارسال دور) because he was crazy (دیوانه)!  It was very hard (دشوار) when people said he was crazy. 

After 2 months, William finished (انجام دادن) his first windmill. It was made of plastic pipes (لوله), parts of old tractors (تراکتور), bicycles, and motorcycles (موتورسیکلت). It looked funny, but it worked! Electricity from the windmill let them use (استفاده کنید) a radio (رادیو) and a light bulb. The villagers could not believe (باور کردن) it. William found a way to give his family electricity. For the first time his family had light at night. They could read and work at night. William built 4 more windmills. His whole village now has electricity and an electric (الکتریکی) water pump (پمپ آب).

William’s life shows (show:  نشان دادن) us that success does not depend on (بستگی دارد) where you live or what you have. Success (موفقیت) comes from not giving up even when life is very hard. It comes from believing (ایمان داشتن) in your ideas. William once said, “Do not insult (توهین کردن به) me today. You do not know what my future (اینده) will be!”

—Shared with you by Tonya

















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