Wangari Maathai

Nobel laureate who linked environmental conservation with women's empowerment through the Green Belt Movement

Wangari Muta Maathai (1940–2011), Kenya's first female Nobel Peace Prize winner, pioneered the Green Belt Movement that planted over 50 million trees while empowering rural women. Her holistic approach connected deforestation to poverty and gender inequality, arguing that You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people.

As the first East African woman to earn a PhD (in veterinary anatomy), Maathai faced political persecution for opposing deforestation projects under Daniel arap Moi's regime. Her 2004 Nobel recognition highlighted the "connection between peace, democratic governance, and sustainable management of resources" – expanding traditional definitions of peace activism.

The Green Belt Movement trained women in forestry and microfinance, creating economic alternatives to environmentally destructive practices. Maathai's memoir Unbowed (2006) details her journey from childhood in rural Kenya to international environmental leadership.

Today, the Green Belt Movement operates in 20+ countries, embodying Maathai's belief that "It's the little things citizens do that will make the difference." Her legacy inspired the UN's Billion Tree Campaign and continues to influence ecofeminism worldwide.