Chapter 1 Wangari Maathai's love for nature helped spark a worldwide environmental movement CONNECTING WITH THE LAND Among the green trees and wide plains of Kenya Wangari Maathai was born on April 1 1940 She went on to do amazing things for her country and her people She became the first woman in central and East Africa to earn an advanced
college degree Maathai was a big supporter of women's rights and worked for the equal treatment of women throughout her life She also led the Green Belt Movement one of the largest environmental revolutions in Africa In 2004 Maathai was recognized for her achievements with a Nobel Peace Prize She was the first African woman to ever receive the honor Maathai shakes hands with Ole Mjoes chairman of the Nobel Prize committee
Maathai was a member of the Kikuyu the largest ethnic group in Kenya She was born during the rainy season in the tiny village of Ihithe Rain filled the streams and lakes It gave life to the trees the animals and the people Maathai's love of nature and her determination to help others would make her a world famous activist and voice for the environment A Kikuyu mother and son pose for a photo in front of their home Kenya is home to millions of Kikuyu
TECH TALK As a child I used to visit the point where the water bubbled up from the belly of the earth to form a stream I imagine that very few people have been lucky enough to see the source of a river Wangari Maathai EARLY YEARS Wangari was the third of six children and the oldest girl Her father was a tenant farmer He grew crops and sold them to the British owner of the land The landowner earned much more money than Wangari's father did Still her father loved the land he tended Wangari loved it too Wangari spent the first few years of her life like many young Kenyan girls She helped her mother take care of Wangari's younger sisters and did other chores Wangari noticed everything especially the trees She knew the bushes the streams and the animals
