Wangari Maathai Dies

Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai, Africa’s first woman recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, died late Sunday after a long battle with cancer. Maathai, 71, won the Nobel Prize in 2004 for combining environmentalism and social activism.

According to the Nobel committee, Maathai made significant contributions “to sustainable development, democracy and peace.”The Kenyan environmentalist founded the Green Belt Movement (GBM) in 1977 – planting tens of millions of trees throughout her homeland.

Maathai served as an assistant minister in President Mwai Kibaki's government from 2003 to 2005.

Maathai is survived by her three children and a granddaughter. (Wiki,  Various News Sources)