Wangari Maathai

What if planting trees could build peace? Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan woman who lived from 1940 to 2011, showed the world it could.

In the 1970s she started the Green Belt Movement. Her idea was simple: teach communities, especially women, to plant trees. Those tiny trees grew into shade, food, firewood, and clean soil. They stopped erosion, protected water, and helped farms grow.

Wangari didn't just plant trees. She helped women earn money, gain respect, and speak up for their land. She stood up to leaders who cut down forests and warned about nature being used unfairly. Because of her courage and care for people and the planet, she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, becoming the first African woman to win it.

Her biggest achievement was showing that small, steady actions can make huge change. Millions of trees were planted, rivers were protected, and communities became stronger and healthier. Her work teaches us that protecting nature is also protecting people. For a kid today, Wangari's story means one seed and one voice can grow into a forest of change. You can plant a seed, care for a plant, or speak up for nature, and help make the world greener and fairer.