Bio-bibliometric study of Professor Wangari Muta Maathai

Abstract

Professor Wangari Muta Mathai, was the 2004 Nobel peace prize winner, she was also, the first woman to earn a doctorate degree in east and central Africa. At the same time she taught at the University of Nairobi where she also became the first woman to be the head of department of Veterinary Anatomy. Professor Wangari Mathai is also the founder 'of The Greenbelt movement, a nongovernmental organization which she has used to fight :several environmental battles. Because of the environmental battles fought and won by Professor Wangari Mathai, she was awarded the 2004 Nobel Peace prize. To date, the Professor is still an ambassador of peace through her environmental activities. However, not all information about Professor Wangari Maathai, had been documented. Very little was known about her contributions to environmental conservation particularly with respect to her collaboration with other environmental conservation stakeholders and institutions. The public conservationist and many resource management stakeholders .did not know the philosophy and purpose driving Professor Wangari Maathai. As much as we were aware of her purpose and focus on environmental issues, little was known about her approaches given climatic and environmental challenges. The focus of this study was to examine her philosophy, focus and approaches and contributions in her long life dedication to environmental conservation. These were the core issues which this study was seeking to answer. The methodologies used were a bibliometric study. The study found out Sensitization, mobilization, whistle blowing, financial support, coordination leadership and formation of organization as some of the key roles of Prof Maathai. It also showed that love for the environment, gratitude and respect for the earth resources, self empowerment and self betterment and the spirit of service and voluntarism as the social belief which Prof Maathai held. In addition, poverty, clean water scarcity, firewood scarcity, need for clean and health environment and the shift from traditional economy to money economy formed her social concerns to environmental conservation. For her to have achieved her goals, she collaborated with individuals and institution through chance, acuity, interest and leadership collaborative methods. These lead to her achieving results such as saving Uhuru Park, Karua forest, Jevanjee gardens, and Mau forest. She also got several awards and made several publication. The research also established publications of and about Prof Maathai by herself and by other people about her.