Wangari Maathai

A Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel laureate who pioneered reforestation efforts and women's empowerment in Africa.

Wangari Muta Maathai (1 April 1940 – 25 September 2011) was a Kenyan environmentalist, women's rights advocate, and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She was the founder of the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-governmental organization focused on environmental conservation and women's rights. Born in Nyeri, Kenya, she was the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree (in biology from the University of Nairobi, 1971), and the first female professor in Kenya.

Maathai’s work with the Green Belt Movement, established in 1977, emphasized grassroots mobilization to combat deforestation, soil erosion, and water scarcity. The movement empowered rural women by teaching them to plant trees, which provided resources like firewood and prevented land degradation. This initiative not only improved environmental conditions but also strengthened women’s economic independence.

In 2004, she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, recognized for her contributions to sustainable development, democracy, and peace. Her acceptance speech highlighted the interconnectedness of environmental health, human rights, and global stability. Maathai also served as an elected member of Parliament and as assistant minister for Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya (2003–2005).

Her legacy endures through the Green Belt Movement, which has planted over 50 million trees and inspired similar initiatives worldwide. Maathai’s advocacy bridged environmentalism with social justice, making her a global icon for intersectional activism. For more information, visit the Green Belt Movement or her Nobel Prize profile.