In Memory of A Nobel Prize Laureate

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In Memory of A Nobel Prize Laureate
by \| 02-09-2015 03:04 0
I think most people will recognize the name Wangari Maathai... But for those who do not, she was the first African woman to ever receive a Nobel Peace Prize for her work on sustainable development. Pretty impressive, right? What is more impressive is the journey that she went through before she was given this prestigious award. She often organized massive protests to fight for the freedom of political prisoners and the rights of women, but her most defining moments were in environment protection, one of which involved a forest called Karura. Karura forest is one of the very few forests in the world located within a city. It was gazetted, and later grabbed for development. Wangari organized a massive protest in the forest accompanied by a number of women with whom she planted trees, but they were met by a number of guards who attacked them and left them hospitalized for days. This created a ripple effect causing other student activists to stand up and fight for the protection of the forest. UNEP even threatened to have their headquarters, which are located quite close to the forest, out of the country should the development proceed into the forest. Her actions created a ripple effect that resulted not only in the protection of the forest, but in the creation of a tree-planting and environmentally aware country where people now know the importance of conserving the environment and take conscious steps to protecting it. Currently, the forest is arguably the most protected in the country, with an electric fence around it, educational centers and beautiful hiking trails. It has become part and parcel of the identity of our country. Her contribution to saving this forest is the reason why there currently is a petition to immortalize her by naming the road that leads to the forest after her. To ensure that everyone that drives through remembers her fight for the environment and the importance of saving it. To remind everyone that their little deeds have the power to do great things. And also to honor her memory. Kindly join us and sign the petition here.

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