"The earth was naked. For me the mission was to try to cover it with green."
Wangari Maathai
Wangari Maathai was just a young girl when she noticed the beautiful umbrella of trees that grew in her village in Kenya. Her life was one of helping...gathering firewood, harvesting food and assisting her mother with other chores. She was a brilliant student and because of that, was afforded the opportunity to go to America to study. When she returned to her home country, she saw that much had changed. There were no trees left in her village. They had been cut down to make way for buildings. She was saddened and discouraged at what seemed important to the local politicians.
Wangari was a young woman who believed that she could make a difference. So, she started at home, in her own backyard. She planted nine seedlings. When she saw them grow and flourish, she determined that she would plant more. Soon, she was able to convince other women to help her reforest their beautiful homeland. Between 1977 and 2004 more than thirty million trees were planted as part of the Green Belt Movement. Nurseries were established and family income went up when women were paid to plant the trees. Many disagreed with what they were doing. Wangari was beaten and thrown in jail, but she did not quit.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 in response to the part she played in planting those trees in Africa, where the tree is a symbol of peace. To celebrate the honor, Wangari planted a Nandi flame tree at the base of Mount Kenya to forever remember the prize bestowed. Her tireless work encourages others to step up and make a difference. She is an outstanding role model for the people of the world.
Jeanette Winter is an accomplished and adept chronicler of people who make a difference on Earth. We are blessed to have someone so focused on bringing these stories to young readers in the form of a picture book biography. Look for more of her work at your local library, or at your favorite bookstore.
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