Part of the 3rd Grade East She Persisted Series

Introduction

Imagine what it would be like to go to school for five years, come back, and find that everything had changed. This happened to Wangari Maathai. 

Early Years

Wangari Maathai was born on April 1,1940. She was born on a farm. She is also a member of the Kikuyu people. She knew not to disturb the fig tree because it was sacred back then, not even to carry the branches home for firewood. Back at home she had many chores. Her mother gave her a little garden to practice planting plants. A while later she attended school with her brothers and sisters.

Life as an Adult

When she came back five years later, everything had changed. The fig tree had been cut down along with many other trees, and the people had grown poorer than before. The water supply had dried up. The people of her hometown had forgotten to care about nature. Wangari Maathai knew she had to do something, but what? Her, her family, and many other people planted millions of trees. Sadly the government did not agree, but she persisted. Sometimes water was hard to find so to find it, they dug holes in the ground to find underground streams. Then they pulled heavy buckets of water up to water the trees. Slowly but surely the trees they planted grew, restoring Kenya to its natural beauty. She saved her hometown.   

Accomplishments

Wangari Maathai was the first woman from Africa to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in her honor. They planted a Nandini Flame tree at her home.

Conclusion

She was a changemaker because she influenced others by showing that everybody can make peace.

“Remember what millions of hands can do.”

-Wangari Maathai