The life of Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai was an environmental and political activist, who is perhaps best known for being the first woman from Africa to win the Nobel Peace Prize, a feat which she accomplished in 2004. She received the award for her outstanding contributions to sustainable peace, democracy and development.

Tunde Folawiyo, and others who are familiar with her career, may know that Maathai was also the first woman in all of Central and East Africa to complete a doctorate, and was the first female professor to work in a Kenyan university. In addition to her academic achievements, Maathai wrote four books, entitled 'Replenishing the Earth', 'The Challenge for Africa', 'Unbowed: A Memoir', and 'The Green Belt Movement'.

Born in 1940, in Nyeri Kenya, Maathai completed her undergraduate studies at Atchison's Mount St. Scholastica College, after which she moved to the USA, in order to attend the University of Pittsburgh. In 1966, after being awarded a Master of Science degree from this institute, Maathai returned home, where she obtained a PhD at the University of Nairobi.

Shortly after this, during the early 1970s, she decided to establish a non-governmental environmental organisation called the Green Belt Movement, which focused on women's rights, conservation and the planting of trees. The GBM began to spread to other countries around the continent, eventually resulting in 30 million trees being planted. More than three decades after it was first launched, the GBM, and Maathai became the subject of a documentary made by Marlboro productions, entitled 'Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai'.

Tunde Folawiyo, and others who have heard of Maathai, may recall that her work won her the Right Livelihood Award in 1986 and, as mentioned above, the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 . In regards to the latter, the Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Maathai for her bravery in choosing to protest against the oppressive regime in Kenya, and noted that her work had led to a greater awareness of political oppression, not only in her native country, but in other nations around the world. The committee described her as an 'inspiration'.

Twelve years after receiving the latter, she became the founder of the Nobel Women's Initiative, which she ran with other female laureates, including Mairead Corrigan, Betty Williams, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Shirin Ebadi and Jody Williams. She also worked on the AWEPA (Association of European Parliaments with Africa) Advisory Board up until 2011, when she passed away.

Tunde Folawiyo | Wangari Maathai: Advocate of Africa

Amongst the country of Africa’s most influential figures is the late Wangari Maathai, a woman whose vast contributions to her country are forever cemented in African history. Born in Kenya, Wangari Maathai is credited for the founding of the Green Belt Movement, an organisation committed to promoting environmental conservation throughout Africa and beyond.

Citizens of Africa including Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others may continue to be inspired by the outstanding impact forged by Wangari Maathai throughout her years as one of the continent’s leading activists.

Born 1 April 1940 in Kenya’s Nyeri District, Wangari Maathai long exhibited a love for Africa. A member of Kenya’s most populous tribe, the Kikuyu, Maathai’s family travelled to the Rift Valley when she was a young girl. Years later, her close ties to the land would prove a strong motivation in her commitment to promoting conservation of the area’s natural landscape.

During 1960, Maathai received a scholarship that would render her able to study in the US. After receiving a master’s degree of biology from a respected university, University of Pittsburgh, Maathai later began study to acquire a doctorate from the University of Munich. Nearly a decade after her arrival in the US, she travelled back to Nairobi to become East Africa’s first woman to earn a Ph.D. She has undoubtedly served as a source of inspiration for Africa’s scholars including Tunde Folawiyo.

Throughout her successful highly successful academic career, Maathai was among the first women appointed to positions of seniority within the Nairobi University system. Amongst the causes she advocated for were equal benefits for the university’s women staff. Whilst campaigns such as these were successful, Maathai later exhibited a greater focus on environmental issues during the middle of the 1970s.

Concerned with Kenya’s poor social/economic conditions and environmental degradation, Maathai began implementing initiatives that would see more trees planted throughout the country. One such initiative was the establishment of the Green Belt movement, a now prominent environmental conservation organisation.

After the turn of the 1990s, Maathai began a campaign for restoring democracy in Kenya. From 2003 to 2005, she held roles as member of the country’s Parliament as well as Assistant Minister of the environment and the natural resources. Amongst Maathai’s most notable accomplishments is her receipt of 2004’s Nobel Peace Prize. Awarded for her outstanding contribution to democracy, peace and sustainable development, Maathai remains one of the most influential figures in conservation advocacy. Supporters of conservation efforts, such as Tunde Folawiyo and millions of others may continue to be inspired by the legacy of one of the efforts’ greatest pioneers.