As the curtains fell on Nobel Laureate Prof Wangari Maathai’s illustrious career and accomplished life, her legacy will be felt far and wide in the environment, thanks to the over 45 million trees, more than the population of Kenya, from the Green Belt Movement that have been planted in Kenya and parts of Africa to provide fuel, food, shelter, and income to support the members’ children’s education and household needs.

The Chinese Proverb which says; As fire refines gold so suffering refines virtues can be used to describe the life of Dekha Ibrahim. Despite the odds and numerous incidences of violence she saw in her rural Wajir home, Dekha rose to become the world’s peace icon.

An unapologetically rural Kenyan-Somali woman, Dekha touched the world through peace work which saw her travel extensively locally and internationally. This earned her a special name among the local communities in Wajir who would refer to her as Dekha Nabad which means Dekha, Mother of Peace.

Grace Murila stands tall as the lead scientist in the fight against trypanosomiasis worldwide

She loved arts subjects more than sciences while in secondary school but, come end term examinations, she would score more marks in sciences to her disbelief.

Naomi Tutu walks in the shadows of her father

Her father has a pocket full of prestigious awards, she too appears destined for a handful of crowns to make true the saying like father, like daughter.

The third born of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his wife Nomalizo Leah, Naomi Tutu, is a passionate advocate for peace and human rights. She chose to walk her father’s path, albeit on a different front.