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September 27, 2011

Green Belt Movement Vows to Continue Anti-Deforestation Advocacy in Wake of Wangari Maathai's Death 
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Members of Wangari Maathai's Green Belt Movement vowed to continue with
the late activist's work following the death of the group's 71-year-old
founder. In 1977, Maathai spearheaded the struggle against state-backed
deforestation in Kenya and founded the Green Belt Movement, which has
planted some 45 million trees in the country. Maathai won the Nobel
Peace Prize in 2004. Njeri Gakonyo is member of the board of directors
of Green Belt Movement.

Njeri Gakonyo, Green Belt Movement board member: "This organization is
fully functional and able to continue with this important work and the
mission of making sure that we, as human beings, look after the
environment that feeds us, that clothes us, that looks after us in so
many ways. So Prof's (Maathai's) work will continue, and we really want
to reassure you that we at the Green Belt Movement are committed to
continuing this."



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