Fifteen years ago, when darkness used to fall in Yobe Nkosi, a remote village in northern Malawi, children did their school homework by candlelight: There was no electricity. But that started to change in 2006, when villager Colrerd Nkosi finished secondary school in Mzimba, and returned home—and found he could no longer live without power.
Aged 23 at the time, Nkosi soon figured out that a stream gushing past the house where he grew up had just enough force to push the pedals on his bicycle. He created a makeshift generator (临时发电机) that brought power into his home. Word spread quickly among the cluster of brick houses and neighbours began paying regular visits to charge their mobile phones. “I started getting requests for electricity and decided to upgrade,” said Nkosi, now 38.
With no prior training, he turned an old fridge compressor into a water-powered turbine and put it in a nearby river, generating electricity for six households. Today, the village is supplied by a bigger turbine, built from the motor of a disused maize seller (玉米剥粒机). The power is carried along metal cables strung from a two-kilometre line of tree trunks topped with wooden planks.
The users pay no fee for the power but give Nkosi some money for maintenance—slightly more than $1 per household per month. “The electricity is basically free,” Nkosi said, speaking in local Chichewa. He admitted that the maintenance income was too small to cover repair costs, which he mainly funded from his own pocket.
Despite the challenges, he is determined to expand his mini-grid to surrounding areas. “Once more villages and schools have electricity, people will no longer cut down trees for charcoal,” he said. “Students will have a lot more time to study.”
As dusk settles over Kasangazi Primary School, chatty groups of learners file into a classroom for a night-time study session. “Before we had electricity here, we used to use candles to study,” said student Gift Mfune, “Now we all have no excuse but to pass our examinations,” he exclaimed.
4. Why did the temporary generator need updating?
A.To make much more money. | B.To meet more people’s needs. |
C.To attract more people’s visits. | D.To charge more mobile phones. |
5. What can we know about the students in Kasangazi Primary School?
A.They show no concern for their exams. |
B.They take little interest in their studies. |
C.They feel grateful to Nkosi for his help. |
D.They’re sure to have a promising future. |
6. Which words can best describe Nkosi?
A.Determined and generous. | B.Easy-going and courageous. |
C.Open-minded and tolerant. | D.Intelligent and cooperative. |
7. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the text?
A.The Founding of a Power Station | B.The Contribution of a Young Man |
C.The Situation of a Primary School | D.The Development of a Poor Village |