Life Onboard LAST UPDATE  February 27, 2009
site design imagesparkle.com
February 2, 2009 Inspired by the Work of the Green Belt Movement
image
Judy Mwangi, a representative of the Green Belt Movement, joined the Peace Boat to discuss GBM initiatives
Over 30 years ago, Professor Wangari Maathai looked at the problems facing Kenya. Water was scarce; some women were forced to walk two days straight to the nearest water source just to fill a single bucket before spending two more days walking home. Firewood, too, was scarce, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya that resemble deserts. The scarcity of the two vital necessities of water and firewood had repercussions that rippled throughout every sphere of daily life for Kenyans. The time and energy spent gathering water meant women had little time for anything else, including earning money to break their families out of the cycle of poverty. Because what little firewood that existed was precious, women prepared fast-cooking foods that had very little nutritional value and led to weak, unhealthy children. Professor Maathai asked herself what could be done. A simple solution that everyone could participate in, from rich to poor, from doctors to the homeless, was necessary. Her solution was planting trees, and the organization that she created was the Green Belt Movement.
site design imagesparkle.com
image
Children learn about environmentalism through the GBM (Photo: GBM)
The Green Belt Movement (GBM) started planting trees along watersheds, rivers, and swamps, preserving the water for communities to use. The mere presence of trees promotes rainfall, and soon the problem of water shortages in Kenya began to ease. The trees also provide a sustainable resource of firewood. Since GBM was begun, the organization has grown from a local grassroots movement to a juggernaut of change. The organization has started working with schools in Kenya, allowing children to learn firsthand the importance and science of trees. “Schoolchildren plant trees, watch them grow, and then the trees can be used to construct new school buildings, the firewood can be used to cook school lunches, the children can eat the fruit, and the trees can be enjoyed for their beauty,” explained Judy Mwangi, guest educator from GBM who joined Peace Boat's 64th Global Voyage for Peace. In another stroke of brilliance characteristic of Professor Maathai, the organization invited Kenyan soldiers to multi-task: while patrolling the country’s border, they can also plant trees. Because Kenya is usually at peace with its neighbors, the military accepted the challenge, and now Kenya’s “green soldiers” can be seen carrying not only guns, but spades and seedlings as well.
image
Seedlings at the GBM’s nursery (Photo: GBM)
While the original focus of the GBM was on environmental resuscitation, the role of women in Kenyan society has improved dramatically due to the group’s efforts. “We encourage women to take up leadership positions in communities,” says Judy Mwangi. “This allows them to have a greater voice. We also provide scholarships for bright and needy girls who otherwise would not go to school.” The organization also teaches women how to supplement their income with activities like beekeeping, where the women harvest honey from bees and sell it at local markets. Because tree-planters and other volunteers can only register with the GBM in groups, women are able to meet other women and form coalitions to help their communities. These coalitions can start their own businesses through the GBM’s micro-loan system or simply provide moral support for each other.
image
Women make up the majority of the agricultural workforce in Kenya (Photo: GBM)
Such support and networks are necessary for women in Kenya. Women perform the bulk of domestic duties, from caring for children to providing food for the family. They are also the main tenders of family farms, making up 80% of Kenya’s agricultural workforce. Despite these numbers, they are often left out of the decision-making processes by governments both local and national. Laws concerning access to land and resources, livelihood opportunities, education, inheritance, and other basic rights are usually imposed upon women without their input. The GBM tries to counteract this system by encouraging the groups of women who register with the movement to become full-fledged community-based organizations, gathering strength from each other to combat unfair decisions made by largely male politicians. While there continues to be infinite areas where environmental and women’s rights can be improved in Kenya and elsewhere, participants were very inspired after learning about the progress Professor Maathai and the Green Belt Movement has accomplished in Africa.

Organization Outline
 For the past 30 years, the Green Belt Movement has helped to revitalize land in Kenya, as well as the lives of many rural residents. Started by Wangari Maathai, the GBM has helped women establish tree nurseries and earn money by planting the seedlings. As GBM grew, it added education, advocacy, and health programs to its work, and Dr Maathai was awarded the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her dedicated and far-reaching work. This highly respected organization and its activities, particularly within the context of the Earth Charter (www.earthcharter.org) was introduced onboard. For more information about the Green Belt Movement and Professor Maathai, see their official website at www.greenbeltmovement.org