Seeds of Change Alice McDowell discusses Wangari Maathai and the Green Belt Movement Whilst this issue was being produced, thousands Despite strict celebrated Wangari Maathai Day. Previously known as restrictions Africa Environment Day, March 3rd now commemorates on political Africa’s first female Nobel prize winner. As a scientist, activism at the environmental activist, and politician, Wangari Maathai time, Maathai empowered women to manage forest nurseries, save achieved public land, and fight for self-determination, justice, and significant democracy. progress by Born in 1940 in Ihithe, Kenya, Maathai was raised framing her with a keen respect for local biodiversity and its place in Movement as her culture. After studying in the US and Germany, she a conservation completed her doctoral thesis in Nairobi and became effort. However, the first woman in Central or East Africa to obtain a after protests at PhD. While continuing her academic research, Maathai Uhuru Park in campaigned for equal benefits for female university 1989, Maathai was staff. She later proposed the planting of seven trees warned that her name in downtown Nairobi representing seven community was on a list of proleaders; this was the first 'Green Belt' and marked the democracy activists targeted birth of a Movement that would eventually plant over 51 for government-sponsored million trees. assassination. After barricading In 1977, Maathai was appointed as an associate herself in her house for three days, she was arrested and professor at the University of Nairobi, making her the charged with offences including treason. The charges most senior female academic in Kenya. Soon after, were eventually dropped after international pressure. however, she was hounded by the press while undergoing Following a decade-long struggle in which Maathai divorce proceedings. She later wrote: 'Anybody who had strove to unite the opposition to the authoritarian a grudge against modern, educated, and independent government, Maathai was elected as an MP in 2002. women was being given an opportunity to spit on me'. In 2004, she became the first environmentalist to be Struggling to provide for her three children, Maathai awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. reluctantly left them with their father and travelled across Maathai’s achievements are immense: her Movement Africa to work for the Economic Commission for Africa. planted over 4,000 nurseries, providing income for From 1978 to 2002, Kenya was governed by the 150,000 people. Moreover, her impact extends beyond dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi, who enforced a borders. In 2007, nine-year-old Felix Finkbeiner, from repressive regime in which women had few civil rights. Germany, read Maathai’s story and founded Plant-forMaathai realised that women were also particularly the-Planet. By 2011, the year of Maathai’s death due affected by deforestation; they had to walk further for to cancer, Plant-for-the-Planet had planted 1 million firewood and water, farm increasingly arid land, and take trees. They are now totalling over 13.6 billion trees. the entire burden of childcare and housekeeping while By integrating democracy and human rights with their partners migrated to cities for work. A 2019 paper environmentalism, Maathai left a legacy that reaches by Rao et al. in Nature Climate Change has shown that beyond the nurseries. When accepting her Nobel Prize, this issue is widespread in climate change hotspots across Maathai said, 'I always felt that our work was not simply Africa and Asia. Maathai’s Green Belt Movement sought about planting trees. It was about inspiring people to empower rural women to improve their standard of to take charge of their environment, the system that living by planting forest nurseries. The Movement also governed them, their lives, and their future' protested the development of public land and started programmes to teach women about income-generating activities and sexual health. Alice McDowell is a 2nd year PhD student in Biochemistry.
“I always felt that our work was not simply about planting trees. It was about inspiring people to take charge of their environment, the system that governed them, their lives, and their future”
Artwork by Charlotte Airey
Easter 2020
Seeds of Change
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