When was Wangarĩ Maathai born?

Wangarĩ Maathai was born on 1 April 1940 in Nyeri.

What positions has Wangarĩ Maathai held?

Positions held by Wangarĩ Maathai include: Minister of Environment of Kenya (2003–2005); Member of the National Assembly (2002–2007).

Where did Wangarĩ Maathai study?

Wangarĩ Maathai was educated at LMU Munich, University of Nairobi, University of Giessen, University of Pittsburgh.

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Wangarĩ Maathai

वाङ्गारी माथाई

Kenyan environmentalist and politician who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 (1940–2011)

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Wangarĩ Maathai was a Kenyan social, environmental, and political activist who founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-governmental organization focused on planting trees, environmental conservation, and women's rights. In 2004, she became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Quick facts

Born: 1 April 1940 wd
Place of birth: Nyeri wd
Died: 25 September 2011 wd
Place of death: Nairobi wd
Citizenship: Kenya Colony, Kenya wd
Occupation: teacher, politician, philanthropist, biologist, environmentalist wd
Political party: Mazingira Green Party of Kenya wd
Education: LMU Munich, University of Nairobi, University of Giessen, University of Pittsburgh, Benedictine College, Loreto High School, Limuru wd
Spouse: Mwangi Maathai wd

Positions held wd

Minister of Environment of Kenya (2003–2005)
Member of the National Assembly (2002–2007)

Awards wd

Nobel Peace Prize (2004)
Knight of the Legion of Honour
Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding (2005)
Right Livelihood Award (1984)
Petra-Kelly-Preis (2004)
Sophie Prize (2004)
Goldman Environmental Prize (1991)
Indira Gandhi Peace Prize (2006)
The Nichols-Chancellor's Medal
NAACP Image Award – Chairman's Award
World Citizenship Award (2007)
Elizabeth Blackwell Award (2008)
Dorothy McCluskey Visiting Fellowship in Conservation (2000)
honorary doctor of Waseda University (2006)
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2009)

Questions

When was Wangarĩ Maathai born?: Wangarĩ Maathai was born on 1 April 1940 in Nyeri.
What positions has Wangarĩ Maathai held?: Positions held by Wangarĩ Maathai include: Minister of Environment of Kenya (2003–2005); Member of the National Assembly (2002–2007).
Where did Wangarĩ Maathai study?: Wangarĩ Maathai was educated at LMU Munich, University of Nairobi, University of Giessen, University of Pittsburgh.

Sources

Last updated 11 November 2026 · facts checked 14 November 2026

Cite this page

"Wangarĩ Maathai". DigiNepal. Last updated 11 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/wangari-maathai. Retrieved 15 November 2026.

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Text from the Wikipedia article Wangarĩ Maathai, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Wangari Maathai in 2001.jpg — Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0.

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