History

Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots is currently in over 130 countries, but the Tanzanian program has an especially rich history. It was founded in 1991 when a small group of Tanzanian students met with Dr. Jane Goodall on the porch of her home in Dar es Salaam. Because these students shared Dr. Jane’s love and concern for animals and the environment they asked her what they could do to help make the world a better place. After a spirited discussion, they decided to start clubs in each of their schools to address relevant issues at a grass roots level. These were the very first Roots & Shoots clubs.

As a powerful global grass roots organization, Roots & Shoots establishes service-oriented clubs in primary schools, secondary schools and universities. These clubs plan and implement projects based on their group’s unique interests, resources and community concerns. Roots & Shoots projects address one or more of the following three themes:

• Care and Concern for the Environment
• Care and Concern for Animals
• Care and Concern for the Human Community

Roots & Shoots is about recognizing that every day in your own way, your club can make our earth a better place to live.