11.WHEN A SAPLING IS PLANTED

WHEN A SAPLING IS PLANTED
"When a Sapling is Planted" is the Nobel Prize acceptance speech delivered by Wangari Maathai in Oslo on December 10, 2004. Wangari Maathai is the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She was born in rural Kenya and is the founder of the Green Belt Movement, which promotes tree planting, environmental conservation, and women's rights.

In the beginning of her speech, Wangari Maathai states that she accepts the Nobel Prize on behalf of Kenyans and people worldwide. She hopes that her actions will inspire women to raise their voices and emerge as leaders. She shares that her inspiration to protect the environment came from childhood experiences and observing rural Kenya closely. However, as she grew older, she witnessed deforestation and the introduction of commercial plantations, which destroyed local biodiversity and the water-holding capacity of forests.

The Green Belt Movement was initiated in 1977 to address the problems faced by rural women, such as the lack of firewood, clean drinking water, balanced diets, shelter, and income.

In Africa, women hold important roles as caretakers, farmers, and providers for their families. Consequently, they are more attuned to the deterioration of the environment. They also discovered that the introduction of commercial plantations in Africa resulted in meager income for household food crops because they were unaware of the international market economy.

Wangari Maathai recognizes that environmental destruction will undermine people's quality of life and that of future generations. This realization motivated her and others to start planting trees. Tree planting not only provides food, fuel, shelter, and income but is also a simple and achievable action that yields quick and successful results. It maintains interest and dedication.

Initially, the Green Belt Movement focused on tree planting. However, Wangari soon realized that democracy and peace are essential for environmental protection. Therefore, she and others adopted the tree as a symbol of the democratic struggle in Kenya. Under her influence, many people rose against power, corruption, and environmental degradation. Later, the tree became a symbol of peace and conflict resolution.

When the tree symbolized peace, it aimed to preserve African traditions. For example, the elders in the Kikuyu community used a staff made from the "thigi" tree to resolve disputes among people. When conflicts arose, the elders would present this staff, prompting people to cease quarreling.

Although the Green Belt Movement had started thirty years earlier, Wangari and others struggled to protect the environment. Environmental problems such as climate change, economic crises, resource scarcity, and poverty were affecting people worldwide.

Wangari believes that peace can be achieved through equitable development, and environmental protection can be ensured through sustainable development. Therefore, she calls upon the youth and citizens of society, whom she believes possess creativity and energy, to create a new world where people can enjoy rich biodiversity and a thriving ecosystem.

As Wangari concludes her speech, she reminisces about her childhood experiences. She used to collect water from a stream and marvel at the strands of frog eggs she would find. However, that stream no longer exists today. She emphasizes that it is the responsibility of the present generation to restore a world of beauty and wonder for future generations.