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A Tiny Seed: The Story of Wangari Maathai A Tiny Seed: The Story of Wangari Maathai Wahn Biini Siid: Di Stuori Bout Wangaari Matai

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.

Inna wahn vilij slaant wie pan Mount Kenya inna Iist Afrika, wa likl gyal pikni did wok inna di fiil wid ar mada. Shi did niem Wangaari.


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.

Wangaari lov fi de outaduo. Inna ar fambili fuud gyaadn shi dig op di dort wid di kotlas. Shi plaant biini siid inna di waam dort.


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.

Ar fievarit taim a die a inna di iivlin afta di son gaan dong. Wen it get tuu daak fi si di flowaz dem, Wangaari nuo se a taim fi go a ar yaad. Shi wuda tek di likl trak dem chuu di fiil dem, an a kraas som riva pan ar wie.


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.

Wangaari a did wan smaat pikni an kudn wiet fi go a skuul. Bot ar mada an faada did waahn ar fi stie uom an elp dem a di yaad. Wen shi ton sevn iez-uol, ar big breda kanvins ar pierens dem fi mek shi go skuul.


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.

Shi did laik lorn! Wangaari lorn muor an mour wid evri buk shi riid. Shi du so gud inna skuul so dat dem aks ar fi kom a skuul kom stodi inna Merika. Wangaari di wel api! Shi did waahn nuo muor bout di wol.


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.

A di yuunivorsti inna Merika Wangaari lorn uoliip a nyuu tingz. Shi stodi bout plaant an ou dem gruo. An shi did memba ou shi did gruo op a plie giem wid ar breda dem and di kuul shied inna di Kenyan faris dem.


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.

Di muor shi lorn, di muor shi riyalaiz se shi lov di Kenya piipl dem. Shi di waahn dem fi bi api an frii. Di muor shi lorn, di muor shi memba ar yaad inna Afrika.


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.

Wen shi don ar stodiz, shi go bak a Kenya. Bot ar konchri did chienj op. Som eleva faam schrech out kraas di lan. Di uman dem no av no ud fi mek faiya fi kuk pan. Di piipl dem did puor an di pikni dem did onggri.


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.

Wangaari did nuo we fi du. Shi did tiich di uman dem ou fi plaant chrii fram siid. Di uman dem sel di chrii dem an yuuz di moni fi luk afta dem fambili dem. Di uman dem did api. Wangaari did elp dem fi fiil powaful an schrang.


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.

Az di taim go bai, di nyuu chrii dem ton inna wahn faris, an di riva dem staat ron agen. Nyuuz bout we Wangaari se spred kraas Afrika. Tide, miliyan a chrii gruo fram Wangaari siid dem.


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.

Wangaari did wok aad. Piipl aal uova di wol tek nuotis a ar, an gi ar wahn fiemos praiz. Dem kaal it di Nuobl Piis Praiz, an shi a did di fos uman fram Afrika fi eva get it.


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.

Wangaari ded inna 2011, bot wi kyan tingk bout ar evritaim wi si wahn priti chrii.


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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