Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement as early as 1977 to organize poor rural Kenyan women, to combat environmental degradation (deforestation, soil erosion, etc.), and to better female access to [Page 646]resources and generate income for women. That same year, the United Nations International Conference on Desertification was held in Nairobi. The Green Belt has played an extraordinary role in empowering women by means of advocacy, networking, education, tree planting, capacity building, and vocational training within the several core programs that combine development, economics, and culture in a very dynamic and creative way.

Since 1977, over 30 million trees have been planted in Kenya by those inspired by Maathai's determination and initiatives, such as the Save the Land Harambee Tree-Planting initiative, as well ...