In 1977, Wangar Maathai established the Green Belt Movement, helping to restore indigenous forests and mobilize rural communities, particularly women, from Kenya across Africa by offering compensation to plant trees.  Over the course of many years, Maathai’s extraordinary courage and determination helped transform Kenya’s government, in which she served as assistant minister for the environment and as a member of Parliament. In 2004 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her “contribution to sustainable development, human rights, and peace.”