Herstory: Wangari Maathai

(originally posted 02/08 at wordpress)



by mae stephenson

Wangari Maathai “Protecting the global environment is directly related to securing peace…”Wangari Maathai is an ecofeminist who has received numerous awards for her activism, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. This professor from Kenya earned a PhD from the University of Nairobi and is most well-known for establishing the Green Belt Movement in 1977. Since then, over 30 million trees have been planted by the non-profit. The organization, based in Kenya, organizes groups of women to plant trees on their farms and in their communities. The Green Belt Movement works against deforestation and aims to empower Africans, especially women and girls.

for more information on Wangari Maathai or the Green Belt Movement, see http://greenbeltmovement.org/