Wangari MAATHAI

Solution / Green Belt Movement

The Green Belt Movement is a non-governmental, non-profit organization based in Nairobi, Kenya. It was founded in 1977 by Wangari Maathai, an African woman known for her participation in environmental causes and women's rights. The movement's name is derived from its purpose of reforesting the desertified regions of Africa and, by so doing, protecting biodiversity and preventing the further spread of the Sahara.

The Green Belt Movement empowers local communities through action for the protection of the environment and the fight against deforestation. The organization encourages rural Kenyan women to plant trees to counter the effects of deforestation. Since its founding, it is estimated that the organization has participated in the planting of over 40 million trees throughout Africa, as well as improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of women.