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A Tiny Seed: The Story of Wangari Maathai A Tiny Seed: The Story of Wangari Maathai Una pequeña semilla: la historia de Wangari Maathai

Written by Nicola Rijsdijk

Illustrated by Maya Marshak

Read by Darshan Soni

Language English

Level Level 3

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In a village on the slopes of Mount Kenya in East Africa, a little girl worked in the fields with her mother. Her name was Wangari.

In a village on the slopes of Mount Kenya in East Africa, a little girl worked in the fields with her mother. Her name was Wangari.

En una aldea ubicada en la cuesta del Monte Kenia en África del Este, una niña pequeña trabajaba en los campos con su madre. Su nombre era Wangari.


Wangari loved being outside. In her family’s food garden she broke up the soil with her machete. She pressed tiny seeds into the warm earth.

Wangari loved being outside. In her family’s food garden she broke up the soil with her machete. She pressed tiny seeds into the warm earth.

A Wangari le encantaba estar afuera. En el huerto de su familia, ella separaba la tierra con su machete y plantaba pequeñas semillas en la tierra tibia.


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.

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.

Su momento favorito del día era justo después del anochecer. Cuando se ponía muy oscuro y no podía mirar las plantas. Entonces era cuando Wangari sabía que debía regresar a casa. Ella caminaba por los senderos angostos del campo, cruzando los ríos que estaban en su camino.


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.

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.

Wangari era una niña astuta y no podía esperar para ir a la escuela. Pero su madre y padre querían que ella se quedara para ayudarlos con los quehaceres del hogar. Cuando cumplió siete años, su hermano mayor convenció a sus padres para que ella fuera a la escuela.


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.

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.

¡A ella le gusta aprender! Wangari aprende muy rápido con cada libro que lee. A ella le iba tan bien en la escuela que la invitaron a estudiar en Estados Unidos. ¡Wangari estaba muy entusiasmada! Ella quería aprender más acerca del mundo.


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.

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.

En la universidad americana, Wangari aprendió muchas cosas nuevas. Ella estudió sobre las plantas y cómo ellas crecen. Y recordó cómo ella creció: jugando con su hermano bajo la sombra de árboles hermosos en los bosques de Kenia.


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.

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.

Mientras más aprendía, más se daba cuenta de que le encantaba la gente de Kenia. Ella quería que ellos fueran felices y libres. Mientras más aprendía, más recordaba su casa en África.


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.

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.

Al finalizar sus estudios, regresó a Kenia. Pero su país había cambiado. Habían granjas enormes que atravesaban todo el territorio. Las mujeres no tenían madera para hacer fogatas para cocinar. La gente era pobre y los niños tenían hambre.


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.

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.

Wangari sabía qué hacer. Les enseñó a las mujeres a plantar árboles con semillas. Las mujeres vendían los árboles y usaban aquel dinero para cuidar a sus familias. Las mujeres estaban muy contentas. Wangari las había ayudado a sentirse poderosas y fuertes.


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.

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.

Con el paso del tiempo, los árboles nuevos siguieron creciendo hacia el bosque, y los ríos comenzaron a fluir nuevamente. El mensaje de Wangari se difundió por toda África. Hoy en día, millones de árboles han crecido gracias a las semillas de Wangari.


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 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 había trabajado muy duro. La gente de alrededor del mundo lo notó, y le otorgaron un premio famoso. Se llama Premio Nobel de la Paz ella fue la primera mujer africana en recibirlo.


Wangari died in 2011, but we can think of her every time we see a beautiful tree.

Wangari died in 2011, but we can think of her every time we see a beautiful tree.

Wangari murió el año 2011, pero la podemos recordar cada vez que miramos un hermoso árbol.


Written by: Nicola Rijsdijk
Illustrated by: Maya Marshak
Read by: Darshan Soni
Language: English
Level: Level 3
Source: A Tiny Seed: The Story of Wangari Maathai from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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