A Lasting Legacy: Remembering Wangari Maathai

If there’s a word that describes Wangari Muta Maathai, it is brazen. With a legacy that still lives on years after her untimely demise and a name recognizable across the globe, it’s no wonder she’s one of Kenya’s most outstanding Humanitarians.

Growing up in the Kenyan highlands, Wangari saw and discovered several varieties of plant and tree species as well as the animals that depended on the forests they formed. She left her rural home to enrol at Loreto Limuru Girls High School, where she strove to shine through hard work. Upon completion, she was one of 300 students selected to study overseas for her undergraduate program.

While abroad, Wangari associated herself with a group of environmentalists seeking a pollution-free environment. An interest led to her involvement which strengthened her desire to conserve the environment, but there was much more to it than she thought. She returned home ready to begin a movement focused on protecting the environment. What began as voicing her concerns enabled her to acquire a broader perspective on her values whilst uplifting her confidence. She remained adamant in the hope that change could and would happen.

The journey had its fair share of bumps but Wangari remained steadfast against her opposers and those keen to shut her down because she was a woman. In 1971, Wangari Maathai graduated with a PhD in Anatomy from the University of Nairobi, notably the first woman in East Africa to acquire the prestigious certificate. She remained active, joining the National Council of Women in Kenya, where she introduced the idea of community-based tree planting. This idea inspired her to initiate the ‘Save the Land Harambee’, which later became The Green Belt Movement​ (TGBM). TGBM’s popularity spread beyond Kenya, enabling it to grow into a Pan-African pursuit. It took on a new challenge, aiming to eradicate prevalent issues such as rural hunger and deforestation were driving desertification and water crises in most African countries.

In 1997, Wangari tried her hand at politics, running for the presidential seat. She did not attain it, but in 2002 – armed with strong political allies – she attained the position of Assistant Minister in the Ministry for Environment and Natural Resources. While in this position, Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. It was a resounding affirmation of her tireless efforts to conserve the environment as well as her contributions to democracy and peace.

Wangari caught the public eye through her pursuit of gender equality, voicing her concerns and backing her beliefs about the importance of environmental conservation. Her historical memoir, Unbowed, recollects her tenacity, wisdom and tireless pursuits.

A hip hip hooray to Prof. Wangari Maathai, Kenya’s great sHero!