Prof. Wangari Muta Maathai RIP

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Official Green Belt Movement statement

Wangari Muta Maathai (1940 - 2011)
It is with great sadness that the Green Belt Movement announces the passing of its Founder and Chair Prof. Wangari Muta Maathai, after a long illness bravely borne. Prof. Maathai passed away on the 25th of September 2011. Her family and loved ones were with her at the time.

Her departure is untimely and a very great loss to all of us who knew her, as a mother, relative, co-worker, colleague, role model, and heroine or those who admired her determination to make the world a peaceful, healthy and better place for all of us.

Prof. Wangari Muta Maathai started the Green Belt Movement in 1977, working with women to improve their livelihoods by increasing their access to resources like firewood for cooking and clean water. She became a great advocate for better natural resource management practices that are sustainable, equitable and just. Her life's work was recognised many times all over the world. She has received awards, honorary degrees from many universities around the world culminating with the Nobel Peace Prize 2004.

Prof. Maathai leaves her three children: Waweru, Wanjira and Muta; and a grand-daughter Ruth Wangari.

Further information on how we will celebrate her life, where to share memories and condolences, and how to join us to build her legacy for generations to come will be given shortly.

Prof. Karanja Njoroge
Executive Director
The Green Belt Movement

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www.nation.co.ke/News/Nobel+peace+laureate+Wangari+Maathai+dies+in+Nairobi/-/1056/1243080/-/w6xom0/-/index.html

[Luol Deng]

One of the very few reformers who never compromised her principles. This is a void that is going to be extremely difficult to fill.

[mwalimumkuu]

VERY SAD INDEED!! R.I.P. PROF.

[b6k]

Sad day for Kenya. RIP

[tnk]

r.i.p prof maathai

heartfelt condolences to family and friends

stood out in politics and in her professional life

a life well lived

[nok]

Wish you peace and Salvation and we salute you for what you achieved.

God bless you Prof.

To the family and friends we share this moment with you.

[mzee]

RIP

[tunda]

Kifo cha mama wangari; kwa wakenya ni hasara.
Alivokuwa hodari; mshupavu wa busara
Twamuomba ya kahari; umtiye pepo bora.

Rabi utupe imani; tuweze kuvumiliya
Kuondoka duniani; ni huzuni imengiya
Tutamkosa mwendani; wakenya twamliliya.

Jamii na marafiki; watabaka mbali mbali
Sisi sote

[mongobeti]

Great Lady of Africa Rest in peace

[nok]

www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2004/maathai-bio.html

Wangari Muta Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya (Africa) in 1940. The first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree. Wangari Maathai obtained a degree in Biological Sciences from Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas (1964). She subsequently earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh (1966). She pursued doctoral studies in Germany and the University of Nairobi, obtaining a Ph.D. (1971) from the University of Nairobi where she also taught veterinary anatomy. She became chair of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and an associate professor in 1976 and 1977 respectively. In both cases, she was the first woman to attain those positions in the region. Wangari Maathai was active in the National Council of Women of Kenya in 1976-87 and was its chairman in 1981-87. It was while she served in the National Council of Women that she introduced the idea of planting trees with the people in 1976 and continued to develop it into a broad-based, grassroots organization whose main focus is the planting of trees with women groups in order to conserve the environment and improve their quality of life. However, through the Green Belt Movement she has assisted women in planting more than 20 million trees on their farms and on schools and church compounds.

In 1986, the Movement established a Pan African Green Belt Network and has exposed over 40 individuals from other African countries to the approach. Some of these individuals have established similar tree planting initiatives in their own countries or they use some of the Green Belt Movement methods to improve their efforts. So far some countries have successfully launched such initiatives in Africa (Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Lesotho, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, etc). In September 1998, she launched a campaign of the Jubilee 2000 Coalition. She has embarked on new challenges, playing a leading global role as a co-chair of the Jubilee 2000 Africa Campaign, which seeks cancellation of the unpayable backlog debts of the poor countries in Africa by the year 2000. Her campaign against land grabbing and rapacious allocation of forests land has caught the limelight in the recent past.

Wangari Maathai is internationally recognized for her persistent struggle for democracy, human rights and environmental conservation. She has addressed the UN on several occasions and spoke on behalf of women at special sessions of the General Assembly for the five-year review of the earth summit. She served on the commission for Global Governance and Commission on the Future. She and the Green Belt Movement have received numerous awards, most notably The 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. Others include The Sophie Prize (2004), The Petra Kelly Prize for Environment (2004), The Conservation Scientist Award (2004), J. Sterling Morton Award (2004), WANGO Environment Award (2003), Outstanding Vision and Commitment Award (2002), Excellence Award from the Kenyan Community Abroad (2001), Golden Ark Award (1994), Juliet Hollister Award (2001), Jane Adams Leadership Award (1993), Edinburgh Medal (1993), The Hunger Project's Africa Prize for Leadership (1991), Goldman Environmental Prize (1991), the Woman of the World (1989), Windstar Award for the Environment (1988), Better World Society Award (1986), Right Livelihood Award (1984) and the Woman of the Year Award (1983). Professor Maathai was also listed on UNEP's Global 500 Hall of Fame and named one of the 100 heroines of the world. In June 1997, Wangari was elected by Earth Times as one of 100 persons in the world who have made a difference in the environmental arena. Professor Maathai has also received honorary doctoral degrees from several institutions around the world: William's College, MA, USA (1990), Hobart & William Smith Colleges (1994), University of Norway (1997) and Yale University (2004).

The Green Belt Movement and Professor Wangari Maathai are featured in several publications including The Green Belt Movement: Sharing the Approach (by Professor Wangari Maathai, 2002), Speak Truth to Power (Kerry Kennedy Cuomo, 2000), Women Pioneers for the Environment (Mary Joy Breton, 1998), Hopes Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet (Frances Moore Lappé and Anna Lappé, 2002), Una Sola Terra: Donna I Medi Ambient Despres de Rio (Brice Lalonde et al., 1998), Land Ist Leben (Bedrohte Volker, 1993).

Professor Maathai serves on the boards of several organizations including the UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Disarmament, The Jane Goodall Institute, Women and Environment Development Organization (WEDO), World Learning for International Development, Green Cross International, Environment Liaison Center International, the WorldWIDE Network of Women in Environmental Work and National Council of Women of Kenya.

In December 2002, Professor Maathai was elected to parliament with an overwhelming 98% of the vote. She was subsequently appointed by the president, as Assistant Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife in Kenya's ninth parliament.

[wachacha]

what a loss.

R.I.P

[kasuku]

Some people become legends in life time and therefore their death announcement comes particularly shocking. She was so young...Kenya has lost a precious daughter too soon...but Wangari RIP

[bkichwa]

We have lost a great woman.

RIP.

[morimax]

RIP Prof. Maathai. She was agreat leader.

[kurosiwo]

May her soul rest in eternal peace.

[mank]

Kwa husuni na uchungu wa moyo, nitamwita Remmy Ongala anisemee:



RIP lady.

[mzalendo]

Big loss .RIP.

[destiny]

GOODBYE QUEEN OF HEARTS. RIP- THANKS FOR KILA KITU!

I've edited Elton John's classic called "Candle in the Wind" to reflect Wangari's legacy.


Goodbye KENYA'S rose
May you ever grow in our hearts
You were the grace that placed itself
Where lives were torn apart
You called out to our country
And you whispered to those in pain
Now you belong to heaven
And the stars spell out your name

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in
And your footsteps will always fall you
Along KENYA'S greenest hills
Your candle's burned out long before
Your legend never will

Loveliness we've lost
These empty days without your smile
This torch we'll always carry
For our nation's golden child
And even though we try
The truth brings us to tears
All our words cannot express
The joy you brought us through the years

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in
And your footsteps will always fall you
Along KENYA'S greenest hills
Your candle's burned out long before
Your legend never will

Goodbye KENYA'S rose
May you ever grow in our hearts
You were the grace that placed itself
Where lives were torn apart
Goodbye KENYA'S rose
From a country lost without your soul
Who'll miss the wings of your compassion
More than you'll ever know

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never fading with the sunset
When the rain set in
And you footsteps will always fall you
Along KENYA'S greenest hills
Your candle's burned out long before
Your legend never will
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[mastersugu]

Indeed she was a triumphant hero of our time and history! She made an incredible mark that will last generations. I salute her and what she stood for.

[Titchaz]

R.I.P. Mama Wangari....

[mangai]

RIP Wangari. Revered around the world but the best she could rise to in Government was Assist Min. for Environment! Kenya could not honour her own prophet.........

[shifta]

Titchaz that moved me to tears...
...somehow, it seems God has been winding up the wrong time lives ...lately.



Professor - tunaelekea huko sote - but you showed us how to spend the short time we have here meaningfully.

[akinyi2005]

Let us all celebrate the life of Professor Maathai - an exceptional woman in many respects, an icon, an environmental heroine and the list goes on.

R.I.P Prof.

[adongo23456]

Brave patriot. The family and freinds kept it very private. We didn't know what was going on and we haven't heard from her.

Have they announced a state funeral? I cannot think of anybody else who deserves it more. Let the country honour her and her work. Her body should lie in state for a few days followed by a state function and a private burial if the family so wishes.

Folk like this come once in a very long time! Some generations never even have them. We did. We walked the earth with her. How wonderful!

She dignified the motherland with her presence and boy did she ever love that country. She put our country on the map in the global stage. A life well lived. Go in peace and travel safely.

The work continues. Oh yes, it does.