The Green Belt Movement: Tree Planting and Community Empowerment in Africa

The Green Belt Movement, founded by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai in 1977, is an environmental NGO focused on tree planting, conservation, and community development in Kenya and across Africa. Its mission: combat deforestation, restore ecosystems, protect biodiversity, empower women and marginalized communities through tree planting, create sustainable income, and foster community ownership. It has planted millions of trees, expanded to Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Cameroon, and earned global recognition, including Maathai's 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.