Maathai born in 1940 in Kenya and devoted herself on environmental job. She founded the Green Belt movement in 1977 and campaigning for environmental conservation and good governance. Since 1977 Wangari Maathai’s organisation has planted some 40 million trees across Africa. She also headed the Kenya Red Cross in 1970s. Maathai was involved in saving world’s second largest tropical forest Congo basin forest.
Maathai won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her environmental work and reforestation in her native Kenya. She was the first African woman to get the Nobel Peace prize.
“It is with great sadness that the family of professor Wangari Maathai announces her passing away on 25th September 2011 at the Nairobi hospital after a prolonged and bravely borne struggle with cancer,” the Green Belt Movement said in a statement.
Maathai was survived by three children and a grandchild.