It has received the most needed attention locally and internationally, not because it is a first Malawi Hollywood movie, but because of its rich story and wonderful videography that has proved Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor as a gem in the game. With a team of talented and creative actors, Ejiofor managed to bring the best from William Kamkwamba’s struggle to save his starving village and family from the wrath of drought and hunger that nearly wiped the village.

While the prime purpose of the amazing, inspiring and heart-warming story is about harnessing the wind, the movie leaves more than just a mere presentation of what William did. The main character, William represents a number of Malawians who have ideas but lack exposure and resources to realise their potential. The movie represents those children who go to a school with few teachers and resources. They try to think outside the box, but are betrayed by the environment.

Few succeed as William did.

Unfortunately, the urban side of William’s world has a lot of good schools, but it has more students who memorise than students who think and explore. It has schools with good books and resources, but we are yet to see an innovative idea from these schools.

Was that boy who made a community radio network from a high school? Where is he now? Was the boy who started an aeroplane frustrated by these engineers from a high school? The small samples explains how the majority with resources are wasting them while those with few resources are struggling to bring the best from their limited environment.

The movie further exposes how unpatriotic some Malawians are. The scene where the tobacco estates men come to buy trees from the locals exposes how Malawians sometimes sell this country ignorantly. The chief tried to pump sense to the locals, but one misguided person started the betrayal and the land was gone. The act of signing and selling trees symbolises the majority of Malawians who sell their country to god-like-beings who in the end show their true devilish colours.

Selling trees, which are fundamental to agriculture, shows that some people don’t really care about this country. These people are no different from those who steal drugs in hospitals and those who snip tax payer’s money. The chief’s stance on the matter shows that not all Malawians are stupid, some do think and they do it using their brains, not their hearts. The chief tried to warn his people, unfortunately Judases were also there.

Looking at the people from the Tobacco estates, one is forced to believe that in Malawi the rich always see that power is a radar to success. They will do anything to make sure the poor remain poor.

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Tell us:Are there any similarities that you can see between the people of Malawi and the people in your community?