Have you heard of the famous Professor Wangari Maathai? She is a Nobel Peace Laureate Laurreate, Member of Parliament for the Tetu constituency, founder and leader of the Green Belt Movement. With so many attributes to her name, she is such a down-to-earth Lady that you may not pick her up from the huge crowds she draws in campaigns for environmental conservation both globally and in Kenya, where she was born and raised.
As in many other countries in the world, Kenya has had its share of deforestation through illegal logging, land degradation through the use of rudimentary agricultural practices and the burning of fossil fuels leading to the threat of global warming, where The world is expected to warm by more than 2 degrees Celsius for the next 100 years. Increasing temperature changes were expected to lead to drastic and erratic climate changes with some parts of the world becoming too hot or too cold. This will affect the food production of an ever-growing population, especially in less developed African countries, making human survival more difficult than at any other period in human history.
Professor Wangari Maathai has taken a leadership role in organizing communities and non-governmental organizations to condemn land grabbing, forest clearance and illegal logging, through her Green Belt movement. Many youth groups and women’s organizations have followed her example and started indigenous tree nurseries throughout Kenya. These initiatives are going to change the face of Kenya, making your dreams of that coveted safari even more interesting, imagine that the entire bare countryside will come to life with lush green trees saving our soils from the raging rainwater flowing into the rivers. than to feed our national greenhouses with animals.
As a tourist in Kenya, you could participate. Let’s call it an Environmental Safari. You could help plant a tree or two. Let’s exchange points of view. What is your country doing to conserve the environment? What lessons can Kenyans learn from their country’s conservation efforts? Do you have an alternative to firewood that 90% of Kenyans use? What will Kenya do about the threat of plastic waste management? The list is endless, but the options are there for you and we will all appreciate it.
Kenyans are a very hospitable people. They won’t mind hosting you as a tourist while traveling to other coveted tourist destinations scattered across the country. Talk about cheap travel and you have it, it can’t be cheaper. There are many diverse tribes in Kenya and you are sure to enjoy the traditional cuisine that is prepared in the countryside. You can also enjoy the many cultural events, unique to each cultural group.