NEB Grade- 11 (English) Unit: 7 Ecology and Development Foresters without Diplomas - by Wangari Maathai

 Unit- 7  Ecology and Development

Foresters without Diplomas: by  Wangari Maathai

About the author…

Ø Wangari Maathai was a renowned Kenyan Social, environmental and political activist and the first black African woman to win the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate/crowned.

Ø Born: April 1, 1940, Nyeri, Kenya

Ø Died: September 25, 2011, Nairobi.

Ø She received a Ph.D. at the University of Nairobi, effectively becoming the first woman in either East or Central Africa to earn a doctorate.

Ø Maathai developed the idea that village women could improve the environment by planting trees to provide a fuel source and to slow the processes of deforestation.

Ø She founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977, an organization  had planted 30 million trees by the early 21^st century – the prime objective: to provide education,  nature conservation and environmental improvement.

Ø Her first book, “The Green Belt Movement: Sharing the Approach and the Experience (1988), detailed the history of organization. She published an autobiography ‘Unbowed’

Ø She frequently represented the concerns like human rights,  AIDS prevention, and women’s issues at the meetings of the United Nations General Assembly.

Ø She was elected to Kenya’s National Assembly in 2002 with 98 percent of the vote, and in 2003 she was appointed assistant minister of environment, natural resources and wild life.

 

About the autobiographical essay of Maathai’s Green Belt Campaign in Kenya…

Ø "Foresters without diplomas" is the title of the sixth chapter of Wangari Maathai's Unbowed: A Memoir.

Ø Maathai uses this phrase to describe the women who took part in planting tree nurseries around Africa.

Ø These "foresters without diplomas" give us an insight to the positive impact that taking care of our planet has on the lives of everyone. In sustaining our planet, we are in part sustaining the good life, as so much of everyday life relies on Earth being the way it is.

Ø These women managed to plant forests and grow trees without any of the technical information the professional planters tried to teach them. They went with their instincts, since they had planted things all their lives. 

Ø These women show that having a big education or being "great" isn’t necessary to start change. These women were normal people who didn't know anything special about planting trees, but they managed to grow trees anyways.

Ø If we were more determined to be the beginning of change, no matter how small or how little we know about it, we would be able to make the world a better place and sustain the good life. “I will be a hummingbird”:  About a huge forest being consumed by a fire.  Animals watch the forest, and the hummingbird is the only one that decides to help. Brings a small drop.

Ø She failed several times even if she continued her work. She exposed many problems like firewood, malnutrition,  lack of  food and adequate water, unemployment, soil erosion, slum life and so on.

Ø She was invited to join the National Council of Women of Kenya in 1976.

Ø She decided to go to the women because she herself was a woman and she was involved in women organization and these problems were concerned to the women as well. Furthermore, they were more concerned about children and about the future.

Ø As she went to the women and talked about planting trees and overcoming problems like lack of firewood, building and fencing materials, stopping soil erosion, protecting water system, the women agreed although they did not know how to do it.

Ø In next few months, the author’s foresters taught the women how to plant trees through several complicated process for even a very simple thing like looking for seeds and planting the trees.

Ø Therefore, she along with her coworkers taught the women to just do it using common sense and they did it well regarding seedlings, germinating and growing up the trees and consequently they were really foresters without a diploma.

Ø The author planted the first seven Beautiful Nandi Flame trees on World Environment Day, June5, 1977 but only two survived and rest died but by 1988, when she recorded, she found that there were 10 million trees surviving and these all were by the efforts of women. The most important fact was that women were now independent and had obtained knowledge, techniques and empowerment and they had started teaching others. The author stated one tree nursery in the backyard of the office of the National Council of Women but today she found over1500 tree nurseries, 99 percent run by women.

Ø This environment movement uplifted the status of poor women economically and the more successful  the Green Belt Movement became due to this. It succeed the community women successfully to involve in land farming.

Ø In Kenya , near about 80% of the farmers are fuel gatherers are women and a large population are nomadic communities like the Massai, the Sambru, the Somalis and most of northern communities. The author found herself unsuccessful there if not cared in near future.

Ø Funding- a big problem. As per her, she was never well-supported by the Kenyan Government rather much support from abroad, & women from all over the world through small cheques.  United Nations Development Fund for Women gave her a big boast $100,000 in 1981 and from the Danish Voluntary Fund and the Norwegian Agency for International development.

Ø African Development Foundation helped her to make a film about the Green Belt Movement in 1985.

Ø The author also talked about her two sons and a daughter who are big and her Biology field though she was in Microanatomy and development anatomy and her experiences that she gained from her work and Green Belt Movement.  She was happy with how far she had arrived though some other counted her as fool.

Ø She found in the society  people are asked for mainly two things: to use imposed knowledge and to become followers rather than leaders. But in fact all the y need is a desire to work and common sense.

Ø Finally, She criticized political leadership or political system in the sense it is not tolerant and encouraging enough as she found in the USA or UN seminars. She suggests women to never loose hope and go ahead  as one obtains any idea or opportunity as a single person can make a difference.

Ways with words…

A.   Match the words with their meanings.

a.      Consistency          i. Seeking or intended to overthrow an established system or                                        institution

b.     Pursue                  ii. Living the life of roaming

c.      Infiltrate              iii. To follow in an effort to overtake or capture

d.     Nomadic             iv. Electoral district

e.      Anatomy             v. To enter or gain access to (an organization, place etc.)          

                                     secretly  or gradually

f.       Subversive           vi.  Art of studying the different parts of any organized body

      a. -iv     b. -iii    c. - v           d. -ii          e.  -vi                f. -i               

 B.   Study the following words.

Prefix	Words	Prefix	Words
Mal-	Maldevelopment, malpractice, malfunction	Mis-	Misbehave, misfortune, misplace
Un-	Unable,  unhappy,  unfair	In-	Inactive, incomplete, insufficient
Pre-	prepaid,  predetermine,  preview	Il-	Illegal, illegible, illiterate
Dis-	Disloyal, dishonest,  disobey	Im-	Impolite, immoral, impartial
Re-	Remix,  repay, reuse	Ir-	Irregular,  irresponsible, irrelevant
De-	Derail, depart, degrade	Non-	Nonprofit, nonstop, nonsense

 

q In the word ‘maldevelopment’ from the essay, the prefix ‘mal-’ makes the meaning negative which means ‘fault or imperfect development’.

C. Make two other words by using each prefix given above and use them in sentences.

Comprehension
Answer the following questions.
a.      What did Maathai decide to do for the community?
Ø Maathai decided to create job opportunities for the people from the poor communities.
b.     Mention the problems faced by women in Kenya.
Ø The problems faced by women in Kenya were problems of firewood, malnutrition, lack of food and adequate water, unemployment, soil erosion, slum life and so on.
c.      Why did the speaker go to the women to talk about planting trees?
Ø The speaker went to the women to talk about planting trees to overcome problems such as the lack of firewood and building and fencing materials, stopping soil erosion, and protecting water system.
d.     What is the most important achievement of the movement described in the text?
Ø The most important achievement of the movement described in the text was that it made women more independent and they had acquired knowledge, techniques and they had become empowered.
e.      Why were the foresters’ ways not helpful to the women for planting trees?
Ø The foresters’ ways were not helpful to the women for planting trees because they had diplomas in the particular fields and they dealt even a simple thing like looking for seeds and planting trees in complicated ways.
f.       When and how did she start the Green Belt Movement?
Ø She started the Green Belt Movement in June 5, 1977 by planting the first seven beautiful Nandi flame trees.
g.     Why do the donors want to provide money to the women?
Ø The donors wanted to provide money to the women to uplift their status, make a film about the Green Belt Movement and as they were foresters without diplomas.
h.     What happened when the speaker criticized the political leadership?
Ø When the speaker criticized the political leadership, the government took away an office given to her and she did not receive any financial support from the Kenyan government.
  i. Mention the agencies that supported her movement?
Ø The agencies that supported her movement were:
          i. United Nations Development Fund for Women
          ii. Danish Voluntary Fund
          iii. Norwegian Agency for International Development
          iv. African Development Foundation

Critical Thinking

q A. Do you think the title “Foresters without Diplomas” is a suitable essay? How?

—  "Foresters without diplomas" is the title of the sixth chapter of  Wangari Maathai's Unbowed: A Memoir.

—  Maathai uses this phrase to describe the women who took part in planting tree nurseries around Africa. These "foresters without diplomas" give us an insight to the positive impact that taking care of our planet has on the lives of everyone. In sustaining our planet, we are in part sustaining the good life, as so much of everyday life relies on Earth being the way it is.

—  These women managed to plant forests and grow trees without any of the technical information the professional planters tried to teach them. They went with their instincts, since they had planted things all their lives.  These women show that having a big education or being "great" isn’t necessary to start change. These women were normal people who didn't know anything special about planting trees, but they managed to grow trees anyways. If we were more determined to be the beginning of change, no matter how small or how little we know about it, we would be able to make the world a better place and sustain the good life.“I will be a hummingbird”: About a huge forest being consumed by a fire. Animals watch the forest, and the hummingbird is the only one that decides to help. Brings a small drop.

—  Thus, the title “Foresters without Diplomas” is a suitable essay.

B. Can a person make a difference in a society? Discuss with an example from a person who has made a difference in your society.

—  It is not the fact and easy to take on the idea like “I am the person who can make a difference in a society”. But the truth is that it is quite difficult, but not impossible. If we all places our struggles to make a society better, we can achieve greater things. Making the society better not only involves fixing the right rules but also includes society’s kindness, generosity, social work, and responsibilities. The person who is concerned about others more than personal benefits can have an impact on them. Here is an example of a kind and generous person.
Dr. Ramesh Thapa is my neighbor. He works in a government hospital. He is counted as one of the best surgeons in the city. Every three months he runs a mobile clinic campaign in the different parts of our district, who can’t afford the expensive treatment. In addition to this, he manages free medical treatment for 4 persons who are suffering from chronic diseases. He has saved the lives of several people. His family members also support him unconditionally.
He is modest and simple. For him humanity comes first. Different organizations have honored him for his pious contribution to the society. We really feel proud of him.

 

 

 

A.   Study the given letter and underline sender's address, date, greeting and complimentary close.

—  27 Barnes Avenue, London

    March 1st, 2020

—  Dear Mrs. MacDonald,

—  As you know, we have been in the flat now for six months. We like it, but I'm afraid there are a few problems.

—  First, a good deal of the furniture is rather old. The armchairs, for example, are in bad condition and so is the big table where we eat. Could you please replace these items?

—  Secondly, the flat is extremely cold in winter. The central heating doesn't work very well and we have to use electric fires. And they are expensive, of course. Part of the problem is the windows. They don't fit very well, so they let the wind in.

—  Finally, there's the kitchen. It really does need painting. We are quite prepared to do the work ourselves if you pay for the paint.

—  Can you possibly come and look at the flat yourself? I'm sure you will agree with us. In any case, please let us know about these things as soon as possible.

—  Yours sincerely,

—  Sandra Shaw

 

 

—  B. Suppose you are McDonald. Write a reply to Sandra Shaw.

                                                          22 Demark Apartment, London

                                                                   December 2^nd, 2020

Dear Mrs. Sandra Shaw,
We will take this good opportunity to thank you for the information you have conveyed about the flat you are staying for six months. We are extremely sorry for such inconveniences that you have gone through.
I promise as well as inform you that we are visiting to the flat this coming week and we will look after all the obstacles aforementioned. I will solve the problems of central heating, windows kitchen and so on.
Please, be sure and hopeful for the information I have conveyed.
Thank you.
                                                                             Yours Sincerely,
                                                                             Mac Donald

C. Write an essay on “The Community Forest in Nepal”. Describe how community forests have contributed to maintain ecology in our environment.
—  The Forest area in Nepal increased sharply in last 20 years because of the transformation of ownership of the forest resources to the local community and the implementation of forest management acts and rules. The community based forest management is becoming the model of community governance from Nepal which is regarded one of the most successful initiatives emerged through the joint collaboration among government, civil societies, local people and donor communities.
—  Since, Nepal has already passed more than 3 decades of community based forest management practices,
—  I think it is right time to check the outcomes and policy measures.
—  The community forestry has taken the remarkable steps to institutionalize and ensure the community participation and engagement as well as to maintain ecology in our environment.
—   It has created enough space to the marginalized and disadvantaged groups of the society to raise their voice and practice governance principles at local level.
—  Since more than 70% people live in rural area and depends on agriculture, the major subsidiary source of income comes from forest related products either directly or indirectly (Economic Survey, 2012).
—  Agriculture and eco-system also depends on the forest density that helps to maintain the environmental balance.
—  In the governance structure, the successful implementation of community forest program and its positive results for natural resource management have encouraged the government to re-think about the conventional top-down approach of development. Because of wider participation of local people in community forest initiatives, the level of civic education and democratic values are heightening bottom-up approach of development.
—  The growing interest of international communities and their assistance is being the key factors to setup the institutions for collecting, compiling, and forecasting the forest related datasets in academic, scientific and policy research area.
—  Thus,  the community forest s have contributed a lot to maintain ecology and environment in the country.

Grammar: Linking, Intransitive and Transitive Verbs

         All verbs have a subject (the person or thing that "does" the action). The real difference between linking, intransitive and transitive verbs is whether or not they have an object (the person or thing that "gets" the action).

     S = subject

     V = verb

    SC = subject complement

    DO = direct object / IO = indirect object

  

          Linking verbs:
Ø Take a subject complement
Ø Can not be passive
Ø S-V-SC
Ø Be, seem, become, appear, feel, get, look
Ø Linking verbs have NO object.
Ø Linking verbs link two parts of a sentence. They link the subject to a noun or adjective.
—  The most obvious linking verb is the verb:  -be
—  Other linking verbs include:  appear, become, feel, get, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, taste, turn
—  Is that your car?
—  I am feeling thirsty.
—  John is my boyfriend.
—  My father became an engineer.

•     The milk will turn sour if you leave it.
•     She is a nurse.

Subject	Verb	Subject complement
Mary	Is	a nurse.
Mary	=	a nurse

Linking verbs do not make sense if used alone: they need a "subject complement" to complete their meaning.

          👉They are (???)
     👉They are teachers.
     👉I feel (???) 
     👉I feel unwell.

      In the above examples, teachers and unwell are subject complements.

 
Intransitive Verbs
 Intransitive verbs take NO object.
Their action is not transferred from the subject to something else.
 S-V
 Many intransitive verbs can make sense
   if used alone:
          -He fainted.
          -She cried.
          -Our car broke down.

 Examples of intransitive verbs are:
  bark, boast, change, cough, die, go, live, run, sit, sleep, wave
  Intransitive verbs cannot be passive.
  

      Of course, we often do follow intransitive verbs with other words telling us how, where or when—but NEVER with an object:
  -He fainted after lunch.
  -She coughed bitterly.
  -Our car broke down in Bangkok.
  -Look at these example sentences with intransitive verbs:
  -They live in London.
  -Tell your dog to sit now.
  -Were the dogs barking?
  -The news hasn't changed.
  -He died after a long illness.
  -When I saw him he was running.

        Transitive Verbs

              Transitive verbs have an object. Their action is TRANSferred from the subject to something else (the object).
  Transitive verbs can be active OR passive.
  Examples of monotransitive verbs are:
  bomb, clean, break, destroy, eat, kill, like,
  put off, trigger, turn down, want
  -Do you love me?
  -Tara doesn't want a new car.
  -Bond killed the snake and ate it.

     Ditransitive verbs have TWO objects: a direct object and an indirect object
Examples of ditransitive verbs are:
  buy, give, grant, lend, make, pass, send, serve, show, teach, tell
  Look at these examples:
  ditransitive verbs:
  -Make me an offer.
  -Who teaches him French?
  -The bank won't lend them any money.
 

B.  What is the difference among transitive, intransitive and linking verbs? Give example of each.
  A verb is a word for an action or a state of being.
  A linking verb is a verb that acts as an equal sign, the subject is or becomes the object.
  A transitive verb is a verb that has an object.
  An intransitive verb is a verb that doesn't have an object.
  Examples of linking verb:  Julee is my sister. (Mary = sister)
                                    Julee's feet were cold. (feet = cold)
                                    Julee's feet were cold. (feet = cold)
  Examples of transitive verb:  Mother baked the cake.
                                         The driver saw the deer.
                                       The driver saw the deer.
  Examples of intransitive verb:
                             We talked for hours. ("for hours" is a prep. phrase)
                   The audience laughed loudly. ("loudly" is an adverb)

 
C. Underline the verb in each sentence and write whether it is transitive, intransitive or linking.
a.      His father looks handsome. Linking verb
b.     Bhawana drinks milk everyday. – Transitive Verb
c.      He became a watchman.- Linking verb
d.     This bread smells good.- Linking verb
e.      The dog barked loudly. – Intransitive verb
f.       He chased the dog- Transitive verb
g.     My sister swims fast.  Intransitive verb
h.     He painted a picture.- Transitive verb
i.       Radhika always asks questions. – Transitive verb
j.       Anjana has a long hair.- Linking verb
k.     The hungry lion roars. Intransitive verb
l.       He tried again and again. Intransitive verb
m.  The weather is hot. linking verb
n.     Owls hide in the daytime. Intransitive verb
 
Speaking
A.   Read the expressions for asking about and giving opinions.
Asking about opinions:
Ø What do you think?
Ø What’s your view?
Ø How do you see the situation?
Ø What’s your opinion?
Ø Do you think (that)…..?
Ø Would you agree with me that…..?
Ø Don’t you think (that)….?
 
Giving Opinions:
-         I think/ reckon…
-         In my opinion/ in my view…
-         I feel that…
-         As far as I’m convened…
-         From my point of view…
-         Well, I reckon (that)…
-         I believe (that)…
-         Personally speaking, I believe/think…
-         As for me, I reckon…
 
 
B. Work in pairs.  Ask about and give opinions using different express on the following topics.
Example: 
A: What do you think about  politics?
B: As for me, I think politics is the policy of the policies.
a.      Educating girls- is the tendency of leading family in right track.
b.     Following foreign traditions-is the way of losing our tradition.
c.      Worshipping god- means having faith in religion.
d.     Depending on foreign aid- means being dependent on others.
e.      Cheating in exams- is a bad tendency in the field of education.
f.       Learning English- is the way to get the job easily.
g.     Speaking several languages- is the way of being versatile scholar.
h.     Engaging in corruption- means losing dignity./
i.       Brain drain- is the passing away of educated manpower from the country.
j.       Being drunkards- is the way of losing prestige in society.
 
 
Project Work
a.      Imagine that you are a chief guest of the programme organized by a government on the occasion of The Environment Day. Write a 10 minute speech and deliver it to the class.
—  Good morning to the Excellencies, my respected teachers and my dear friends. The topic of my speech is Environment . On the occasion of World Environment Day, it is essential for all to realize that every little deed matters when it comes to saving the environment.
—  Environment is the surrounding in which we live. It is the source of life. Our whole life is dependent to the environment. It directs our life and determines our proper growth and development. Good or bad quality of social life depends on the quality of our natural environment.
—  The need of human beings for food, water, shelter and other things depends on the environment around us. There is a balanced natural cycle exists between environment and lives of human beings, plants and animals. Human society is playing vital role in degenerating the natural environment which in turn negatively affects the lives on this planet
—  .  All the human actions in this modern world directly impact the whole ecosystem. Increasing demand of technologies and industries in the modern time impacts the nature. Some of the environmental problems are rapid growth in world population, deteriorating natural resources, diminishing forests and wetlands, erosion of soil and coral reefs, depleting underground water, regular shortage of fresh drinking water, vanishing plants, sanitization in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Middle East. Some other issues are loss of biodiversity, rapid extinction of some important animal species, collapse of fisheries, rising air and water pollution, rise in atmospheric temperature, thinning of ozone layer, spoiling rivers, seas and underground resources.
Human society is embedded in an environment. We must not forget that the human being is first and foremost an animal, sharing living space with other animal species in an environment on which they are mutually dependent. It is our responsibility to save our environment and earth and make the possibility of healthy and happy life here.
Hope u liked it

b. Identify a person from your community who has worked on environmental protection. Write a story of that person incorporating the efforts s/he made change things and attitudes of people.

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