In 1976, Professor Wangari Maathai, the first woman in East and Central Africa to obtain a doctorate degree, introduced to women in Kenya the idea of planting trees as a means of earning a living and at the same time preserving the environment. Through the Green Belt Movement, which she founded the following year, Professor Maathai helped plant more than 30 million trees in Africa over the last 30 years. Her idea has now become a model for sustainable development.

In 2004, Professor Maathai received the Novel Peace Prize.

In an exclusive interview with The Executive Times, Professor Wangari Maathai talks about Dr. Yunus, her work, the challenges of our times and possible ways of overcoming them.

The Executive Times (ET): Dr. Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank have won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Your reactions?

Wangari Maathai (WM): The moment I heard that my brother and friend Muhammad Yunus had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize I sent a letter of congratulations. Ever since I have been sharing that good news with audiences wherever I have appeared in the U.S. [Dr. Maathai is on a month-long book and speaking tour in the U.S.] People have received the news with lots of jubilation.

ET: We can see some similarities between your work and that of Dr. Yunus. Both seem to be geared towards empowering women-rural women, in particular.

WM: That's true. Both of our organizations, the Green Belt Movement and the Grameen Bank, are mainly driven by women at the grassroots level. We are also engaged in promoting equity and economic justice, both of which contribute towards reduction of dehumanizing poverty.

ET: Let's get back to your work. Why did you choose planting trees as your campaign initiative, back in 1976?

WM: In the mid 1970s, as women around the world prepared for the first UN Women's Conference, held in Mexico, women in Kenya gathered to develop our agendas for the conference. I was an officer in the National Council of Women of Kenya and I found myself talking to rural women about the problems they were facing. They needed clean drinking water. They needed wood energy for fuel. They also lacked good, nutritious food. Listening to the women talk, I could see that all their problems were the result of environmental degradation. I said to the women, "Why don't we plant trees?" Trees would provide a source of fuel, material for building and fencing, and, if they are fruit trees, fruits. Back then I didn't think I was starting a movement that would last 30 years. I thought I was starting an initiative that would last for, perhaps, three years.

ET: Your project has been copied in other African countries. What plans do you have to extend this project into other continents? And why not into Bangladesh!

WM: Our intention is to share our holistic approach to development with all people. Any organization in Bangladesh that would be interested in learning from and adapting the Green Belt Movement's approach can visit our website [www.greenbeltmovement.org] and get in touch to see how we can share our experience.

ET: You have a new book, 'Unbowed: A Memoir', which, by the way, is a fascinating read. It talks about your life, Africa and much more. You put a special emphasis on the importance of education in alleviating poverty and at the same time you argue that education "should not take people away from the land." What problems do you see in the education system (especially in the context of a developing world) that is being followed today and what changes do you feel are necessary in this education system?

WM: First, thank you very much for your compliments on Unbowed. As to the second part of your question, in the past, the tendency has been to separate urban development from the land. Yet, the resources that are needed by urban dwellers largely come from the rural areas, including food, water and fuel (wood products). Therefore, it becomes necessary to introduce environmental education into schools at the primary level to ensure that we are not alienated from the resources that sustain our livelihoods and our lives. If we have a clear awareness of our dependence on, for example, natural resources even when we live in the urban centers or when we are the policy makers, we are more likely to remain connected, our level of education notwithstanding.


ET: You are an activist and also a Member of Kenya's Parliament for the Tetu Constituency. Why did you choose to be in the government?

WM: Before I understood the importance of governance in promoting development and overseeing equitable distribution of natural resources, I thought that all I needed to do was focus on tree planting and general rehabilitation of the environment. But in time it became obvious that the two are closely linked and are important pillars, not only for stability and development but also for pre-empting conflicts and wars. Being in the government makes it possible for me not only to play my role as an activist and a representative of the people, but also to play a role in legislation, which can have long-lasting, positive impacts on the lives not only of the people I represent now but on the future generations and their environment. For that reason it's an honor and privilege to be in the government.

ET: What would you say are the main hurdles of our time? What needs to be done to address them?

WM: Obviously it is true that there are many hurdles, some of which are local, some of which are regional and others that are global. Creating a critical mass of people in the world who appreciate the need for cooperation and partnerships to overcome dehumanizing poverty and arrest environmental degradation and global warming is one of the largest challenges we face. The mission for all of us involved is to do our part to achieve that critical mass.

ET: You are the inspiration for women in the world. What message do you have for the women of Bangladesh in particular?

WM: I was in Bangladesh a few years ago as a guest of BRAC. I was impressed by the strong spirit and culture of hard work of Bangladeshi women and how hard they were working, whether it was in the fields or in the markets. It was very inspiring to see the extent of care for children, especially with respect to opportunities for education, including through informal programs. What I want all of us to know is that wherever we are we have something to learn from each other. But we also have a lot to teach each other. So I hope the women of Bangladesh will continue to be strong and inspiring to each other, and to the rest of the world.

ET: What are your next plans?

WM: It is most important that I continue to share the message of the Green Belt Movement with respect to the linkage between sustainable management of resources, good governance (which includes respect for human rights, the rule of law and diversity), equity and peace. This is the message that was recognized by the Norwegian Nobel Committee and the world needs to embrace it in order to expand its understanding of the concept of peace and security. I am also advocating for the protection of the major forests in the world, especially the Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem, the Amazon and the expansive forests of Southeast Asia. All these forests are very important because they serve both as lungs of the Earth and carbon sinks. Without them, the planet and life as we know it will be threatened. My third main focus is to strengthen civil society, especially in Africa. This is because a strong civil society is necessary in order to demand good governance, sustainable management of national resources, and equity at the national level.

ET: Anything you would like to add?

WM: We may live very far apart, but my work has clearly made me understand that indeed, as others have said before, our blue planet is fragile. Its resources are limited. We are interdependent and this is our only home. Our collective effort is needed to ensure that we all survive. Here "all" includes not just the human species but also all the other species on the planet.