   the green belt movement (gbm) is an indigenous grassroots non-governmental organisation based in nairobi, kenya that takes a holistic approach to development by focusing on environmental conservation, community development and capacity building. professor wangari maathai established the organisation in 1977, under the auspices of the national council of women of kenya. the green belt movement organises women in rural kenya to plant trees, combat deforestation, restore their main source of fuel for cooking, generate income, and stop soil erosion. maathai has incorporated advocacy and empowerment for women, eco-tourism, and just economic development into the green belt movement. since maathai started the movement in 1977, over 51 million trees have been planted. over 30,000 women trained in forestry, food processing, bee-keeping, and other trades that help them earn income while preserving their lands and resources. communities in kenya (both men and women) have been motivated and organised to both prevent further environmental destruction and restore that which has been damaged. in 2004, wangari maathai received the nobel peace prize â becoming the first african woman to win the nobel peace prize â for her work with the green belt movement. her book, the green belt movement is published by lantern books. maathai was a leader in ecofeminist movement. == the movement == === structure === there are two divisions of the green belt movement: green belt movement kenya (gbm kenya) and the green belt movement international (gbmi). ==== key focus areas ==== the green belt movement works in six principal areas, known as "core programs": *advocacy & networking *civic & environmental education *environmental conservation/tree planting *green belt safaris (gbs) *pan african training workshops; and *women for change (capacity building) each of these programs is aimed at improving the lives of local inhabitants by mobilising their own abilities to improve their livelihoods and protect their local environment, economy and culture. === history === in 1972, the environmental movement revolutionised advocacy and policies surrounding environmental issues such as those in the united nations environment programme, also known as (unep). unep was established in nairobi as a result of the united nation conference on human environment held in stockholm in the same year. this development helped arouse interest in the environment in africa regardless of the fact that many governments in the region held hostile sentiments towards the policies adopted in stockholm to limit environmental degradation. soon after, maathai served as chairwoman of the unep's environment liaison center board, which today is called the environment liaison center international. in 1974, maathai's focus b
Community-based_forestry Community-based_organizations Environmental_organisations_based_in_Kenya Forestry_in_Kenya Reforestation Women_in_forestry