Wangari Maathai (placeholder)

Her green belt movement has caused millions of trees to be planted in Kenya. The result is not only reforestation, but meaningful work for over 30,000 women. Not just meaningful work, but right livelihood. Helping the planet recover.

If I can mirror to some small degree on the Big Island what this woman has hugely accomplished in Africa, I will feel my life has contributed something of value to this world.

The first time I heard Wangari Maathai speak was at the 2005 United Nations Forum on Forests. I was so engaged with her eloquence and the passion of her story. This woman spoke to the UN and challenged them to talk less and act more. I wanted to stand up and shout in appreciation for her honesty and directness. She was an amazing speaker and is so inspiring. This year I was at the Goldman Environmental Awards, like the Nobel prize for grassroots environmentalists. I was there with the person I had nominated, Silas Siakor from Liberia who is also incredibly inspiring. As I was sitting there in the front row a parade of speakers came and then out comes Wangari Maathai. My eyes filled with tears as I heard her once again tell her amazing stories and encourage all of us to contineu to do our amazing work. I can’t wait til I meet this woman to tell her how inspiring she is and how much her work continues to move me to do what I can on to fight for the forests of this earth.

By all means,every one finds the stories of this woman intriguing.

At one time,when i was very young,this country had a government so tyrranical that no one would have ever thought of emanicipation.

When things moved a notch higher,at the height of political change,from single party system to multi party system, many people were detained by the government of the day.

Many people couldn’t risk standing up against the government and demand the release of these people.

However, Wangari immobilised a group of women who matched on the streets of Nairobi thereby securing the release of the aforesaid detainees.

On another remarkable moment,Wangari went into a forest and found a wilting indegeneous tree,she hugged that tree very passionately and latter put a bottle of water at its base.

Many more great stories are there about this woman,but before i log off,you should know that she is the solo saviour of Uhuru park,a botanical garden in Nairobi,Karura forest,and almost all the other forests in Kenya which were at the blink of extinction by loggers.

Sometimes her efforts have been a source of bitter critisism especially from the individuals of the past regime.

Once she was quoted barking at her critics,she said that she doesn't respect men who have to look at their genitals to confirm their manhood!Do you have to?Huh.................its upto you!

They don’t give out Nobel Peace Prizes in cereal boxes, ya know.