Google yesterday marked the 73rd birthday of the late Wangari Maathai with a Doodle in her honour across its Sub-Saharan browser pages.
A sketch of a smiling Maathai replaces the second letter ‘o’ of Google, with the letters being formed of tree branches decked with green leaves as a tribute to Maathai’s tireless work to protect the environment in Kenya.
The Doodle appeared on the Sub-Saharan African Google browsers from midnight on March 31, until midnight on April 1.
Maathai racked up a number of ‘firsts’ among her lifetime achievements. She was the first female in East and Central Africa to obtain a doctorate degree, and also became the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, in 2004.
She founded the world-renowned Green Belt Movement in 1976, which to date has seen approximately 51 million trees planted under its auspices.
In 2002 she was elected to parliament with 98 per cent of votes, and was appointed assistant-minister for environment, natural resources and wildlife.
Maathai died aged 71 on September 25, 2011, with the government responding by announcing two days of national mourning. She was accorded a state funeral.
