The Green Belt Movement (GBM)

The Green Belt Movement (GBM) is a non-profit, non-governmental grassroots organization based in Kenya and was founded in 1977 by Prof. Wangari Maathai, 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate. Through our holistic approach to development, GBM addresses the underlying social, political, and economic causes of poverty and environmental degradation at the grassroots level. Our empowerment seminars that accompany tree-planting activities help people make the critical linkages between the environment, governance, and their quality of life. GBM started by addressing a serious problem with a simple solution: getting communities to plant trees as a symbol of their commitment. Today, this approach is taking root worldwide.