Her favourite time of day was just after sunset. When it got too dark to see the plants, Wangari knew it was time to go home.
She would follow the narrow paths through the fields, crossing rivers as she went.
Wangari was a clever child and couldn’t wait to go to school. But her mother and father wanted her to stay and help them at home.
When she was seven years old, her big brother persuaded her parents to let her go to school.
Azangile kutanga! Wangari alilongesele vyavivulu mumikanda atangilenga. Hakulinga kanawa mushikola vamusanyikile kuya nakutangila ku United States of America. Wangari awahililile chikuma! Atondele kwijiva vyavivulu vyamukaye.
She liked to learn! Wangari learnt more and more with every book she read. She did so well at school that she was invited to study in the United States of America.
Wangari was excited! She wanted to know more about the world.
Ku Yunivesiti ya America Wangari alilongesele vyuma vyavihya vyavivulu. Alinangwile vyamihako nomu yeji kukolanga. Kaha anukile mujila akolelele: kuhema ngunja navayaya jenyi mumuvule wamitondo mumisenge yamwaza yamu Kenya.
At the American university Wangari learnt many new things. She studied plants and how they grow. And she remembered how she grew: playing games with her brothers in the shade of the trees in the beautiful Kenyan forests.
The more she learnt, the more she realised that she loved the people of Kenya. She wanted them to be happy and free.
The more she learnt, the more she remembered her African home.
Omu amanyishile kutanga chenyi, ahilukile ku Kenya. Oloze lifuchi lyenyi lyalumukile. Mawande amanene atanjile lifuchi lyosena. Maphwevo kavapwile najikhunyi jakuwikisa kahya kakutelekelahoko. Vathu vapwilenga vakuyanda kaha vana vapwilenga nazala.
When she had finished her studies, she returned to Kenya. But her country had changed. Huge farms stretched across the land. Women had no wood to make cooking fires. The people were poor and the children were hungry.
Wangari knew what to do. She taught the women how to plant trees from seeds. The women sold the trees and used the money to look after their families. The women were very happy. Wangari had helped them to feel powerful and strong.
Hakuhita chalwola, mitondo yakolele nakupwa misenge, tulwiji twaputukile kuhitangana cheka. Mujimbu wa Wangari watanjile Africa yosena. Lelo, makhombakaji amitondo anasoko kufuma kujimbuto ja Wangari.
As time passed, the new trees grew into forests, and the rivers started flowing again. Wangari’s message spread across Africa. Today, millions of trees have grown from Wangari’s seeds.
Wangari had worked hard. People all over the world took notice, and gave her a famous prize. It is called the Nobel Peace Prize, and she was the first African woman ever to receive it.
Wangari afwile mu mwaka wa 2011, oloze tweji kumushinganyekanga lwola lwosena natumona mutondo wamwaza.
Wangari died in 2011, but we can think of her every time we see a beautiful tree.
