Over the summer, a group of educators led by Al Stenstrup traveled to Kenya on a special professional development program to learn about the legacy of conservationist, activist, and Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai.

Born in Kenya in 1940, Maathai was the first East African and Central African woman to earn a doctorate degree, the first female university professor in Kenya, and the first African woman and first environmentalist to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She advocated for democracy in Kenya, fought on behalf of women’s rights, and pushed environmental issues to the forefront of Kenyan society.

During their program, the group visited her hometown, worked on projects, and met with members of Maathai's Green Belt Movement, an environmental organization that empowers communities, particularly women, to conserve the environment and improve livelihoods.

Traveler Jen Cullerton Johnson, author of “Seeds of Change” and “The Story of Environmentalist Wangari Maathai,” shared a glimpse of their experience with a blog post and several short video clips:

• Read Jen’s guest post, “Planting Trees with the Green Belt Movement,” on The Open Book Blog.
• Watch a welcome dance and song from the Green Belt community.
• Take a look into the Green Belt Movement Center in Nairobi.