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Jane Goodall
Roots & Shoots
Our Team
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1960 Jane In Africa
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In July 1960, at the age of 26, Dr. Jane travelled from England to what is now Tanzania and ventured into the little-known world of chimpanzees. The idea was to learn about this primate species to see if it could help us shed some light on human behaviour.

Equipped with little more than a notebook, binoculars, and her fascination with wildlife, Jane Goodall braved a realm of unknowns to give the world a remarkable window into humankind’s closest living relatives. Making up for the scarce resources with her abundance of passion, Dr. Jane redefined the way we look at chimpanzees and the wildlife.

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1977 Birth of JGI
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During her research, Dr. Jane realised the urgency of saving the endangered chimpanzee species from extinction. Dr. Jane Goodall created her namesake organization to continue her chimpanzee research as well as expand efforts on chimpanzee protection, conservation, and environmental education.

Through nearly 60 years of groundbreaking work, Dr. Jane Goodall has not only shown us the urgent need to protect chimpanzees from extinction; she has also redefined species conservation to include the needs of local people and the environment, shedding light on how our connection to each other is what keeps us alive. JGI aims to create a world where all the species can coexist.

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1991 Beginning of R&S

In 1991, local youth gathered on Jane Goodall’s front porch in Tanzania and expressed how they felt powerless against the problems in the world around them. As the students told stories and offered ideas, Jane realized the solution was right in front of them: their power to create change. The Roots & Shoots program was born.

Roots & Shoots provides the resources to encourage and motivate young people to take action on issues that matter to them. Today, the tools and support offered through the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) program empower youth in over 60 countries to use their voices and ideas to address the issues that matter most to them in their communities.

Through Jane’s hopeful message and the Roots & Shoots model, youth around the world are encouraged to put their ideas into action. Since 1991, millions of students have taken on the challenge of making the world a better place for people, other animals and the environment we share. Roots & Shoots youth are not only the future–they are the present– and they are changing the world.

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I went as a scientist, left as an activist.

Jane Goodall