In chapter 11, Maathai describes the dilemma of whose land is it anyways, referring to all of Africa. She mentions the fact that we cannot turn every single acre of land into farm land or ever acre into commercial buildings. Instead, it is up to the government to increase the capacities of areas that are less populated. By doing so, they would be encouraging the growth of sustainable industries that provide good employment in well-managed cities and towns rather than slums with no infrastructure. This leads to her next chapter, environment and development where if and when infrastructures are made to manage cities, there needs to be regulation of resources such as fossil fuels. Climate change is a huge factor that affects Africa and therefore it must be reduced to keep Africa sustainable. This may be on of the main reasons why Maathai started the Green Belt Movement.
After reading her novel, Maathai provides a strong stance that something has to be done in order for Africa to move forward as a country. Throughout her book, she provides excellent examples and points out the many flaws that is preventing Africa from being at its full potential. Whether it is everyone's jobs or just the African's jobs, Africa needs change. Maathai concludes her novel with this: "Africans must make a deliberate choice to move forward together toward more cohesive macro-nations, where all can feel free, secure, and at peace with themselves and others, where there is no need for any group to organize violence against their neighbors. Then, everyone would begin to reap the benefits of unity in diversity." This is a powerful statement to end her book with as she lays out her vision for the rest of the world to follow.
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