In 1977, the Green Belt Movement (GBM) in Kenya started to address a serious problem with a simple solution: working in communities to plant trees. It began as a grassroots tree planting program and is now a vehicle for empowering women and their communities. GBM is an environmental organisation with a focus on community mobilization and empowerment for improvement of livelihoods in rural areas.

Since 1977, GBM has planted over 45 million trees in Kenya, and thousands of women have been empowered to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

In 2004, GBM’s founder Wangari Maathai became the first environmentalist and African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

So what's the point of this group? Well, we want to spread our model for sustainable development around the world. Now that we are aware that up to 25% of carbon emissions are the result of deforestation - that's more than the entire transportation sector combined! - the need to get planting and stop cutting is proving ever more necessary in the survival of this planet of ours.

So what can you do? Start by spreading the word.

Talk to eachother, share your amazing fundraising ideas, take a look at our website, tell us about your own projects, sign up for our e-news updates, plant a tree.

We will be sharing our new projects, fundraising endeavours and news on this site. If you want any more information, do not hesitate to get in touch.

"When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and hope." Wangari Maathai



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In 1977, the Green Belt Movement (GBM) in Kenya started to address a serious problem with a simple solution: working in communities to plant trees. It began as a grassroots tree planting program and is now a vehicle for empowering women and their communities. GBM is an environmental organisation with a focus on community mobilization and empowerment for improvement of livelihoods in rural areas.

Since 1977, GBM has planted over 45 million trees in Kenya, and thousands of women have been... (read more)