Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental and political activist, was born on April 1, 1940.

Wangari Maathai attended St. Cecilia middle school.

After completing her studies at St. Cecilia's Intermediate Primary School, Wangarĩ Maathai was rated first in her class and granted admission to Loreto High School, the only Catholic high school for girls in Kenya.

Wangari Maathai graduated from Loreto High School in May 1959.

On September 3, 1960, she was chosen to pursue her studies in the United States. She opted for biological studies at Mount St. Scholastica College.

Wangari Maathai achieved her Master's degree on May 20, 1964.

On January 27, 1966, Wangari Maathai became a Professor of Zoology.

Wangari Maathai got married on April 11, 1967.

In 1969, Wangari Muta Maathai tied the knot with Mwangi Mathai.

In 1971, Wangari Maathai achieved the milestone of becoming the first woman to earn a PhD in East & Central Africa.

In 1974, Wangari Maathai's family expanded with the birth of her third child, and her husband's campaign for Parliament led to the founding of Envirocare Ltd., a business focused on environmental restoration.

In 1975, Wangari Maathai was promoted to the position of senior lecturer in anatomy at the University of Nairobi, becoming the first woman in Nairobi appointed to such a position.

In June 1976, Wangari Maathai attended the first UN conference on human settlements, known as Habitat I, as a result of her work with Envirocare and the Environment Liaison Centre.

On January 1, 1977, Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement.

On World Environment Day in 1977, Wangari Maathai and the National Council of Women of Kenya organized a procession and planted seven trees in Kamukunji Park, marking the first event of the Green Belt Movement. Maathai encouraged women to plant tree nurseries throughout Kenya.

In 1979, after a public accusation of adultery and a divorce trial, Wangari Maathai was found guilty of contempt of court and sentenced to six months in jail, which was later overturned.

In 1982, Wangari Maathai campaigned for a parliamentary seat but was disqualified for not re-registering to vote, leading to her eviction from university housing.

In 1984, Wangari Maathai was honored with the Right Livelihood Award for her efforts in promoting reforestation and environmental conservation in Kenya, turning ecological debates into mass action.

With funding from UNEP, the Green Belt Movement expanded throughout Africa in 1986, leading to the establishment of the Pan-African Green Belt Network. This expansion aimed to combat desertification, deforestation, water crises, and rural hunger.

In 1987, Wangari Maathai stepped down as chairperson of the NCWK to focus on the Green Belt Movement, following the government's demand for the movement to separate from the NCWK. This decision allowed the Green Belt Movement to solely focus on environmental issues.

In 1988, the Green Belt Movement carried out pro-democracy activities in Kenya, including registering voters for elections and advocating for constitutional reform and freedom of expression. These actions were met with opposition from the Kenyan government.

On November 8, 1989, Parliament expressed outrage at Wangari Maathai's actions, criticizing her for writing letters to foreign organizations and calling the Green Belt Movement a bogus organization.

In January 1990, foreign investors canceled a project following Wangari Maathai's protests and media coverage of the government's response.

On March 3, 1992, Wangari Maathai and others engaged in a hunger strike at Freedom Corner in Uhuru Park to demand the release of political prisoners, resulting in a violent police intervention.

In 1994, Wangari Maathai delivered the Edinburgh Medal Lecture titled 'Bottom is Heavy Too'. The lecture focused on important environmental issues.

In the elections of 1997, Wangari Maathai aimed to unite the opposition to defeat the ruling party. She decided to run for parliament and for president as a candidate of the Liberal Party, but faced skepticism and criticism from the press and the public.

In December 2002, Wangari Maathai's party, the Rainbow Coalition, defeated the ruling party in Kenya, and she won the election in Tetu Constituency with 98% of the vote. In January 2003, she was appointed Assistant Minister in the Ministry for Environment and Natural Resources.

In 2003, Wangari Maathai founded the Mazingira Green Party of Kenya to promote conservation, inspired by the Green Belt Movement. The party is a member of the Federation of Green Parties of Africa and the Global Greens.

In 2004, Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in environmental conservation through the Green Belt Movement.

In March 2005, Wangari Maathai was elected as the first president of the African Union's Economic, Social and Cultural Council. She was also appointed as a goodwill ambassador for an initiative focused on protecting the Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem.

On May 21, 2006, Wangari Maathai was awarded an honorary doctorate by Connecticut College and delivered the commencement address.

In November 2007, Wangari Maathai was defeated in the Party of National Unity's primary elections for parliamentary candidates.

She received the NAACP Chairman's Award.

Wangari Maathai passed away on September 25, 2011, in Nairobi at the age of 71. She was a visionary environmentalist and the founder of the Green Belt Movement in Kenya.

In 2012, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests launched the inaugural Wangarĩ Maathai Forest Champion Award to recognize individuals contributing to international forest issues.

In 2014, a statue of Wangarĩ Maathai was unveiled at Benedictine College in Kansas, commemorating what would have been her 50-year reunion. The college later added a mural of Maathai and other scientists in 2019.

In 2015, UNESCO published a graphic novel titled 'Wangari Maathai and the Green Belt Movement' as part of their series on Women in African History, depicting the story of Maathai and her environmental movement.