According to Maathai, deforestation was causing soil erosion and environmental degradation in rural Kenya. This led to reduced food production, poverty, water reduction, and an increase in poverty levels. The most affected groups were the small-scale farmers in rural Kenya, especially women who had to walk for long distances before they can have access to water or a balanced diet to feed their children ( Maathai, 2004) . Women are first in line to realize the effects of environmental degradation as they work to feed their children through the tilling of land. Deforestation led to a lack of firewood, fruits for food, and shelter in rural Kenya.
Maathai advocates the form of civic engagement that connects societal problems with stable democracies. She advocates for linkage between grassroots civic engagement initiatives and international engagement in dealing with the issues of globalization ( Merton & Dater, 2008) . Civic engagement, where people are empowered to question the policies and practices of their governments, is ideal in the quest to achieve justice in any part of the world. Maathai created a robust connection between stable governments and environmental conservation and the economic empowerment of individuals in a specific society.
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Harming the environment as posited by Wangari Maathai has a damaging effect on those communities living in abject poverty. However, initiatives such as the Green Belt Movement by Maathai and the Social Enterprise by Lillian Masebenza strive to solve such issues. The two conduct training on sustainable development with the aim of training women to be self-employed and be part of the solution to their problems. In my opinion, the initiatives help reduce the dependence on the government and outside sources that some of the impoverished populations have when they cannot solve the issues affecting them. Social and economic empowerment helps in promoting the quality of life among low-income families ( Merton & Dater, 2008) .
References
Maathai, W. (2004). The Nobel Peace Prize 2004 . NobelPrize.org. Retrieved from https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2004/maathai/26050-wangari-maathai-nobel-lecture-2004/
Merton, L., & Dater, A. (2008). Taking root: The vision of Wangari Maathai . Marlboro, VT: Marlboro Productions.
