The World Mourns The Lost Of Dr. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

The Late Dr. Wangari Maathai

After dedicating her life to eradicate poverty, fighting for democracy and improving the lives of women, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr. Wangari Maathai finally lost her battle with ovarian cancer on September 25 in her homeland country of Kenya at the age of 71.   Kenya President Mwai Kibaki has declared that two days of national mourning and a state funeral will be held for Maathai, a mother, environmentalist, feminist, politician, human rights advocate and the first African woman to receive the Peace Prize.  Since her passing, countless international leaders including the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela and Al Gore have released statements of condolence in remembrance of steadfast commitment to make the world a more peaceful, healthier and better place.

“The world mourns with you and celebrates the extraordinary life of this remarkable woman who devoted her life to peacefully protecting what she called ‘our common home and future,’” said President Barack Obama in a statement.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared in a statement that “The world has lost a powerful force for peace, democracy and women’s rights…Her death has left a gaping hole among the ranks of women leaders, but she leaves behind a solid foundation for others to build upon.  I was inspired by her story and proud to call her my friend.”

Maathai with then Sen. Barack Obama

Dr, Maathai was born on April 1, 1940 in Nyeri, Kenya. She won a scholarship to study biology at Mount St. Scholastica College in Kansas and received a Bachelor’s degree in 1964. She went on to earn a Master of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a doctorate in veterinary anatomy at the University of Nairobi, making her the first woman in East or Central Africa to hold a PhD.  She later became the first woman head of a university department in Kenya.

In 1977, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, a grassroots organization purposed to plant trees in Kenya in order to fight erosion and create firewood for fuel and jobs for women. According to the United Nations, the Green Belt Movement has planted more than 30 million trees in Africa, helped nearly 900,000 women, and ignited similar efforts in other African countries.

Although Maathai traveled the world speaking out against environmental degradation and poverty, she always remained connected to the conservation of her homeland.   When former Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi wanted to erect a skyscraper in one of central Nairobi’s only parks, Maathai organized a peaceful protest demonstration.  In return, she was beaten unconscious and arrested by police.  Maathai’s act of defiance and peaceful protest was marked as “a rallying cry for women activists, environmentalists, and democracy leaders,” said Kerry Kennedy, President of the Robert Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights in a recent statement.

Later on Maathai was elected to the Kenyan Parliament and served as a cabinet minister.  After decades of activism, she won the Peace Prize in 2004 for what the Nobel committee called “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.”

Dr. Maathai is survived by her three children and granddaughter.

Written by Selena Hill