9. Wangari Maathai: Planting Seeds of Change
Wangari Maathai, Kenya’s first woman to earn a Ph.D., founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977, a grassroots organization that has planted over 51 million trees across Kenya. This initiative addresses deforestation, soil erosion, and women’s rights by empowering women to plant trees, thereby improving their livelihoods and the environment. Maathai’s work has inspired similar conservation efforts worldwide (en.wikipedia.org).
