Country
Which country was Wangari Maathai born in?
The country of Kenya.
p. 4
Who realized that Wangari should go to school?
One of her brothers saw that Wangari asked many questions and their mother agreed she should go to school.
p. 9
When Maathai was a young child, what were her responsibilities?
Maathai helped her mother take care of her younger sisters and did chores at home.
p. 7
What prize did Maathai receive in 2004?
Maathai received the Nobel Peace Price in 2004.
p. 5
The year was 1940.
What year was Maathai born in?
In Maathai's childhood, what type of environment did she grow up in?
Maathai grew up in a rural area/countryside filled with trees and animals.
p. 6
At what age did Maathai start attending school?
Maathai first attended school at the age of 8 years old.
p. 9
How many children did Maathai's parents have?
Maathai's parents had 6 children.
What is the name of the organization that Wangari created?
The name of the organization that Wangari created is the Green Belt Movement.
p. 5
Where is the country of Kenya?
Which country controlled Kenya?
Kenya was a colony of Great Britain.
Great Britain controlled Kenya.
p. 8
From which university did Wangari earn her master's degree?
Wangari earned her master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
p. 11
What was her Maathai's father's profession?
Maathai's father was a (tenant) farmer.
p. 7 & 8
Which organization gave her a scholarship allowing her to study in the United States in 1960?
The Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation awarded her a scholarship in 1960.
p. 10 & 11
The distance of 3 miles (4.8 kilometers).
How far did Wangari walk to school?
p. 9
At the University of Nairobi, what did Maathai and other female employees demand?
Maathai and her female colleagues demanded equal treatment as their male co-workers.
Examples of equal treatment include equal pay and housing.
p. 12
What did her cousin show her when she first started school?
Her cousin showed her how to write on a tablet.
Video
Which family member was a great storyteller?
Maathai's aunt told her great stories were about animals.
Video
What was Maathai's position at the University of Nairobi?
Maathai was a professor at the University of Nairobi.
Maathai was the first female professor at the University of Nairobi.
p. 12
Kenya gained independence from Great Britain.
What happened to Kenya while Maathai was studying abroad in the United States?
p. 12
Which ethnic group did Wangari belong to?
Wangari's family belonged to the Kikuyu ethnic group in Kenya.
p. 6
What did Maathai study for her master's degree?
She studied how the pineal gland in the brain of Japanese quail birds works.
p. 11
Who grows crops and takes care of land that they to not own?
Tenant farmers grow crops and take care of land that they to not own.
p. 8
Where did Maathai graduate from in 1971?
In 1971, Maathai graduated from the University of Nairobi's School of Veterinary Medicine.
p. 12
Wangari's mother never went to school.
What was the educational level of Wangari's mother?
Video