Wangari Maathai Case Study

Frank Carlo

Psy 245-981

Professor Dalmau

Biography of an Outstanding Woman: Wangari Maathai

Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai was an activist, feminist, mother, environmentalist, and member of the Kenyan parliament. She was appointed Assistant Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife in Kenya in 2003 after campaigning for the restoration of democracy. Maathai was a qualified professor of veterinary medicine, and she founded the Green Belt Movement in the 1970's, seeking to promote environmental conservation in Kenya and Africa. She became the first African women to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace." However, her honor did not come without controversy.

Maathai was born April 1st, 1940 in the Nyeri District in the central highlands of Kenya. She was a member of the most populous tribe, the Kikuyu. When she was young, her father worked on a white owned farm after she and her family moved to the Rift Valley. Her experience of living close to the land, had remained a strong motivation and inspiration for promoting conservation of the beautiful natural landscape. During her childhood, Kenyan independence from the British was sought. However, at the boarding school she was attending, she was protected from the violence. In 1960, she gained a scholarship to study in the United States where she earned a master's degree in biology from the University of Pittsburgh. She then later studied for a doctorate at the University of Munich. In 1969, she went to Nairobi and went on to became the first East African women to receive a Ph.D which was in veterinary anatomy. Maathai's academic career was very successful. She became the first women to be ap...

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...e, in a statement announcing her as the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Talking in 2004, she said that here activities were seeking to promote peace through the avoidance of potential conflict.

"I think what the Nobel committee is doing is going beyond war and looking at what humanity can do to prevent war. Sustainable management of our natural resources will promote peace." (Time, 10 October 2004)

Maathai was an astounding woman. She accomplished quite a bit and really helped out her country. She reduced conflict between her tribe and fought to keep the beauty of her homeland. What really impressed me and made me choose Wangari Maathai was the fact that she was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Prize. On top of winning, she was one of the founders of the Nobel Women's initiative along with others, such as Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Betty Williams.