1. Waangari Maathai Waangari Maathai - an inspirational woman who through determination and courage shows us not only how one person can make a difference but also that seemingly intractable problems can be overcome.

3. She was born in a village in the Central Highlands of Kenya in 1940, where her family had lived for several generations. At the time when she was growing up there were large areas of forest and the land was fertile. The water was clean and the crops grew well. Waangari remembered this as a wonderful place to live.

4. The village where she lived was a typical Kenyan village. Her parents had to work hard on the farm to grow enough food and there was no spare money. Initially Waangari didn't go to school but she was always very keen to learn from her older brothers who were attending the local primary school. Eventually her parents decided to send her to school

5. Waangari turned out to be a very clever child and loved to learn. She did so well at primary school that she was able to go on to secondary school and eventually to university. Then she got the chance to go to America to study where she studied science. She also became interested in how people could work together to improve the environment.

6. When Waangari returned home to Kenya she found a very different life from the one she had left. Large areas of forest had been cleared of trees and much of the land was bare. The people were no longer able to grow good crops and so they were short of food and the water was no longer clean.

7. All the trees are cut down The water runs off when it rains The plants don’t grow The wind blows the soil away The people have no food This is what happens when land is stripped of trees. It is called deforestation and it happens in many parts of the world including Malawi.

8. She decided that they would have to try to solve the problem themselves. She encouraged them to collect seeds from the trees they could find and grow them ready to plant out when they were big enough. Waangari helped many small groups of women to start up little plant nurseries in this way and slowly they were able to replant some of the wooded areas. The women were able to help themselves and provide for their families. As a result of what she had seen Waangari began to talk to the local women and realised that it was the deforestation of the land that had caused them to be so poor.

9. This project was so successful that it led to the foundation of the International Green Belt which helps to care for the environment all over the world. All in all about 43 million trees were planted in Kenya and other countries in Africa. Waangari was eventually awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

10. This was Wangaari’s message about reforesting the land. She went on to do other important work to make the world and better and more peaceful place. However important she became she always enjoyed getting out on the land and helping with the planting. “When we plant trees we plant seeds of peace and hope.”