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.
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.
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.
I went as a scientist, left as an activist.
Jane Goodall
