Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan environmental and political activist. She was born in Nyeri, Kenya, in 1940. She started the Green Belt Movement, which planted over 51 million trees. She was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Early Life

Maathai grew up in rural Kenya. She was one of the first women from East Africa to earn a college degree. She became the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctoral degree. She was a professor at the University of Nairobi.

Big Achievements

Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977. The movement taught women to plant trees to fight deforestation. She also fought for democracy and women's rights in Kenya. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her work connecting the environment, democracy, and peace.

Fun Facts

• The Green Belt Movement has planted over 51 million trees in Kenya.
• Maathai was beaten and arrested many times for her activism.
• She was the first woman in East Africa to earn a PhD.

Did You Know?

When Maathai won the Nobel Prize, she celebrated by planting a tree. She once said, 'When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of hope.'