An interview with the late Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Scooped ahead of the major news corporations directly after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Barrack Obama, whose father studied alongside Wangari Maathai.

2. Inspiration
A
N ble
Calling
In 2004, Wangari Maathai became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The
award recognised her tireless commitment to human rights, the environment and democratic
values. With her simple act of planting a tree, ideas took root that propelled her to the forefront
of the environmental movement, reports Nick Rice.
P
rofessor Wangari Maathai is a woman of that had suffered great political upheaval. At the same
incredible strength and dignity. She has a broad time Kenya’s forests were being plundered for short-
smile and an infectious laugh yet they conceal a term profit.
lifetime of courageous resilience and steadfast action. Maathai continued her education and became the
Born in 1940 to humble farmers in a small first East African woman to earn a doctorate, getting
province north of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, her PhD in zoology at the University of Nairobi. She
Maathai lived in a mud hut without running water lectured at the university and married a politician with
and electricity. But life thrived in and around the whom she had three children. However, he left her
expansive rainforest and there was clean drinking in 1977 complaining that she was ‘too educated, too
water in the surrounding streams. strong, and too successful’.
Maathai was a bright child, and although education Her divorce was difficult. Maathai found
in Kenya at that time was a rarity for girls, her mother herself victimised by the government and she was
wanted her to have every opportunity and sent her imprisoned for three days for declaring that the judge
to school. She excelled in her studies, despite the was sexist. In her autobiography, Unbowed, she writes
growing conflict between British colonial rule and about being vilified by those opposed to independent
the independence movement. Escape from the unrest and educated women. She decided to face them all
came in 1960 when Maathai was one of 800 students with head held high. “I would give every woman
Opposite page:
Professor Wangari
offered the chance to study in the US. This was part and girl reasons to be proud and never regret being
Maathai’s Green of the Kennedy Airlift to America, a programme in the educated, successful, and talented.”
Belt Movement American Civil Rights movement that funded further Despite the personal upheaval, she founded the
(GBM) has planted
more than 45 education for young Africans. Barack Obama’s father Green Belt Movement in 1977. Many of her old school
million trees in was another beneficiary. friends were working in the fields, eking out a harsh
Kenya. Today, the
GBM has over
Her six years studying in the US were transform- existence by trying to survive on the ruined land.
600 community ative. The basic freedoms of American society and Planting trees, she decided, was a quick and efficient
networks across the non-violent struggles of the civil rights movement way of providing wood for fuel and shelter, whilst also
Kenya that care
for 6,000 tree sharpened Maathai’s sense of fairness and justice. protecting the soil and attracting wildlife.
nurseries. When she returned to Kenya she found a country It is estimated that between 1950 and 2000 Kenya
November 2009 27

3. Inspiration
lost 90 per cent of its forests. To date Maathai’s Green
Belt Movement has planted in excess of 45 million
trees and the Billion Tree Campaign she inspired has
reached a global total of 7.3 billion.
Much of the Green Belt Movement’s work You founded the Green Belt Movement when you Top left: Maathai
with her 2004
conflicted with the corrupt money making plans saw the detrimental effects of deforestation. How Nobel Peace Prize
of Kenyan dictator Daniel Arap Moi. Maathai was did it all become a reality? in Oslo. It was the
first time an African
a thorn in his side from the time he took power in The Green Belt Movement was inspired by a group of woman had won it
1978 and she defied death threats, life-threatening women. We were sitting around a table preparing for and the first time it
beatings, imprisonment and unrelenting persecution an international conference and the women wanted to was awarded to an
environmentalist.
to defend the environment and her people. Her include basic needs on the agenda such as firewood,
Above: Senator
resilience and conviction was vindicated in 2002 adequate food and clean drinking water. I said to them: Barack Obama
when Moi finally stepped down. ‘We can achieve this ourselves by planting trees on our went back to his
roots when he
New president Mwai Kibaki appointed Maathai farms. We can ask the foresters to teach us.’ visited Kenya in
as deputy minister in the Ministry of Environment, So it all started with a small group of women. We 2006. This year
Natural Resources and Wildlife. Maathai has looked for the reason why we didn’t have enough the US president
became Maathai’s
been widely praised for her holistic approach to water and linked that to deforestation. So we needed fellow laureate after
governance by maintaining that dignity, respect to protect the forest and this meant dealing with the he also won the
Nobel Peace Price.
and human rights need to work hand in hand with government. One thing led to another until it was not
the sustainable management of resources and the only about planting trees but also advocating a more
environment to ensure democracy and peace. democratic way of life.
Maathai is a paragon of accomplishment, rising
from a rural village hut in Kenya to a leader on the Do you think that in rising to challenges and
world stage, fighting to protect the environment and tackling obstacles you can grow more as a person
our collective future. than you might without them?
At the time of this interview Maathai had just met It’s amazing how much capacity and creativity we
with President Obama in the White House. It was have within us, but unless it is challenged it is often
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the perfect time to talk to Professor Maathai as the not expressed. Sometimes we achieve so much by
news had just broken that President Obama had being challenged, and sometimes we fail. One of
been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and was now the most important things I’ve learned is the need
a fellow laureate. for persistence and patience – some things don’t
28 Open Skies

4. Inspiration
Above: Maathai, happen overnight. You have to be committed and
with volunteers
of all ages, at
take the pressure to get results.
a tree-planting
initiative. Besides You were one of around 800 Kenyans given the
planting trees, the
GBM also focuses opportunity to study at American universities in
on environmental 1960. What was it like leaving Kenya to study in
education so that
the US at this important time in history?
people can identify
the sources of their I was probably too young at that time to appreciate the
problems and then full significance. But, looking back, it was amazing.
work together to
find solutions.
I had just turned 20 and had never travelled further
Right: It is than my high school, which was about 160 kilometres Many of them were missionary sisters, wonderful
Maathai’s belief away. Today, I do appreciate the significance, as well women who taught me a sense of service and
that the simple act
as the importance of visions by people such as John F . commitment. I’m quite sure I would be a very
of planting trees
is the starting Kennedy to educate the Kenyan people. different person were it not for them. In the United
point of mobilising States, people like Martin Luther King, Kennedy and
communities for
self-determination,
President Obama’s father was amongst the Kenyan’s Margaret Mead were influential. Back home I looked
justice, equity, who studied in the US. Did you know him? up to people like Seretse Khama, a leader as Africa
poverty reduction I met him briefly through a friend. We went to his was emerging from colonialism.
and environmental
conservation. house and I remember that he smoked a pipe and
was a very handsome young man with a beautiful, Any influential people today?
strong voice. There are many wonderful people. I admire the
Dalai Lama because of his commitment to peace.
Is it safe to say that his son has inherited that I admire people like the Prime Minister of Britain,
eloquent voice? Gordon Brown. I’ve worked with him for many
He certainly has. It’s just amazing what Barack Obama years, especially when he was the Chancellor of
has achieved. And it also goes to show what you the Exchequer. He is very committed to the issues
can do with your life, no matter what disadvantages surrounding the debts of poor countries. He is a
you face. Not only did he not have his father around good man, but sometimes politics doesn’t treat
growing up, but also his mother died young. good people kindly.
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Who did you admire growing up? You recently spoke at the Second World Congress
I think my original inspiration was my mother. I of Agroforestry, how did that go?
spent a lot of time with her and she introduced me The congress in Nairobi was very well attended and
to the natural world. My teachers also inspired me. this year’s Copenhagen Climate Conference dominated
30 Open Skies

5. the discussions. Climate change is going to affect a lot
of species and we are particularly worried about Africa,
which, according to scientists, is especially vulnerable.
That is very unfortunate as Africa is not a major emitter
of greenhouse gasses.
You mention that the emissions of the least
industrialised countries are negligible yet they are
going to be the most affected by climate change. So
what should the G8 countries be prioritising?
The first priority of the G8 countries should be to cut
emissions. I know that many of them are now convinced
that this is necessary. These countries are starting to
embrace green ideas and take a serious look at low carbon
technologies. That’s where the focus has to be.
Earlier this year your latest book, The Challenge for
Africa, was published to widespread critical acclaim.
In it you speak of ‘hard-headed hope’ and ‘realistic
options’. How does that apply to the environment?
I’m an optimist and if I didn’t have hope then maybe
I would give up. But I really do believe that we, the
human species, have the capacity to deal with challenges
once we understand the nature of a challenge.
It’s great that you remain optimistic. Yet it must be
difficult to remain positive sometimes as so many
people are out for short-term gain and don’t think
about future generations.
Sometimes it’s very discouraging. In Kenya there are times
when I can’t believe what I am seeing. People building
across rivers, cultivating wetlands, and the government
reintroducing a very destructive system called the
chamber system. This means that indigenous forests are
cut down and replaced with monocultures from Australia
and the Northern Hemisphere. The only motivation is
money. And they’re doing that at a time when people are
dying of starvation because the rains have failed. And the
rains are failing because the forests have been clear-cut. It
is enough to make me want to cry, but then I remember
that I have a voice and so I start raising it again. When all
fails you dig a hole, plant a tree and hope it will survive.
What is your message to the people who are trying
to look after our planet and work towards a
sustainable future?
My message to them is that if you’re not feeling frustrated
or challenged then I don’t know what planet you are
on. Whatever challenges you face, remember there are
others facing even greater challenges. We need to remain
committed, focused and persistent. Those of us who hear
the planet crying out have a moral responsibility to act. ❖