Wangari Muta Maathai (Nyeri, Kenya, 1940 – Nairobi, Kenya, 2011) was born into a family of Kikuyu ethnic farmers and, unlike many other girls around her, she was able to pursue an education. She always excelled in her studies and, years later, she earned a scholarship to study biology in the United States. She continued her studies between Kenya and Germany until she became the first woman from Central and Eastern Africa to obtain a doctorate and to head the Department and serve as Associate Professor at the University of Nairobi (1977).

In the same year, 1977, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, an initiative for reforestation and conservation of natural resources in Kenya. Through this organization, many women planted millions of trees throughout the country, contributing to the restoration of ecosystems and the economic empowerment of local communities.

Maathai was a staunch advocate for women's rights. In 2004, she received the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the first African woman to receive this award.