Wangari’s Trees of Peace, A True Story from Africa

Wangari’s Trees of Peace, A True Story from Africa

Jeanette Winter

Wangari was only a girl when she was awarded a  scholarship to study in the United States, so she left her beautiful home in Kenya, Africa only to return six short years later to barren land and devastation to her once rich, green community.  Wangari received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for world peace through the Green Belt Movement she began in 1977 on World Environment Day.  Wangari’s struggles to repopulate the once red, rich soil of her homeland with the green, lush trees that provided for so many became her quest and it began with 6 seedlings planted in her own back yard.  Soon after, women all over Kenya began planting “Symbols of Peace” together, which became known as the green belt. 

This was a wonderful addition to our unit “Human Effects on Our Environment”. The students listened so intently to Wangari’s story and the peace that her efforts brought to her own community, and her country, and our world.  The illustrations are full of color, and vibrant hope!