1. Travel with JGIA and RAW Africa
If you are anything like us, travelling to Africa to see great apes in their habitat has always been a dream. We are very pleased to announce that, thanks to our long-standing partnership with RAW Africa, you can make that dream a reality. If you are searching for an adventure unlike any other, we invite you to take part in a 16-day visit to Africa, tracing the footsteps of Dr Jane Goodall and experiencing the wonders of Uganda with a small group of like-minded travellers.
On your adventure you will visit not only the great apes, but also the JGI projects in the region and get to experience JGI’s impact firsthand. Highlights of the trip include Ngamba Chimpanzee Island, where chimpanzees rescued from illegal trade are rehabilitated and released onto the island to live out their lives in complete safety. You will also visit Boomu Women’s Group near Murchinson Falls, a JGI initiative to help local women earn an income without relying on the forests that are home to chimpanzees. In Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will love the boat ride along the Kazinga channel, so full of hippos, elephants, buffalo and water birds (and even leopard and tree climbing lions!) that you will wonder how they all fit. Of course for great ape lovers, the treks to see the chimpanzees and mountain gorillas are the ultimate adventure and you will not be disappointed as these incredible creatures allow us to get up close and quietly observe what they are doing. It is truly unforgettable!
This is a JGIA approved experience and now is the time to book, as there are just a few spots left on the July and September 2017 tours. Prices are $5800pp and a percentage will go towards JGIA and the incredible projects that you will visit. Take the journey of a lifetime; to not only experience the wonderful work of JGI in East Africa, but to also connect with unforgettable people, wildlife and cultures. To find out more, visit Raw Africa’s Jane Goodall Tour page or contact brooke@rawafricaecotours.com.
2. Final week to collect mobile phones for chimp conservation
With the end of Term 1 almost upon us, time is running out to register your school to join our 2017 Mobile Phone Recycling & Reuse Campaign. Many people don’t realise that mobile phones contain coltan, a mineral that is mined from crucial great ape habitat in East and Central Africa. Although coltan can be extracted from old mobile devices and reused, in 2008 more than 70% of the world’s supply was newly mined. The good news is that you can help reduce the need for new coltan simply by donating your unwanted mobile phones!
Throughout Term 1, Australian schools can register to collect unwanted mobile phones to raise money for chimpanzee conservation. All phones that are collected will be refurbished then resold by PhoneCycle, or broken down into individual parts for recycling by MobileMuster. Our generous partners then donate the funds raised to the Jane Goodall Institute Australia to support our efforts to save endangered chimpanzees. As a special treat, the school that collects the most mobile phones will win a personalised recorded video message from Dr Jane thanking them for the wonderful contribution! For more information contact us at recycle@janegoodall.org.au or visit our JGIA or R&S websites.
3. Welcome to our new NYLC members
We are excited to announce that over the last month we have welcomed 10 new members to our National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC)! The NYLC are a passionate group of 16-23 year olds from around Australia who are dedicated to creating positive and sustainable change. They are the youth voice of Roots & Shoots Australia and are provided with a platform to learn, grow, and collaborate on campaigns that make the world a better place and inspire the next generation of changemakers. To find out more about the NYLC and meet the new team, visit our website.
4. Kate walks in Dr Jane’s shoes at Gombe
These past few months our Queensland R&S State Coordinator, Kate Garland, has been volunteering at JGI Italy’s Sanganigwa Children’s Home in Kigoma, Tanzania. While in Tanzania, Kate was lucky enough to visit the place where JGI all began, Gombe Stream National Park. Here’s a snippet from her behind-the-scenes experience of walking in Dr Jane’s shoes:
“I woke up early in the morning to be guided to the chimpanzees by Khalfan Kikwrley, the son of one of the founding members of Roots & Shoots. We began the trek, walking along the crystal clear beach of Gombe as baboons scampered ahead of us into the forest and butterflies lofted around the shoreline. Then the real work began, as we entered the forest and quickly ascended Gombe’s notoriously steep mountains. It was then that I felt complete admiration for Jane’s courage and perseverance, for Gombe’s arduous inclines and high humidity leave very little time for rest when chasing the much more nimble chimpanzees. Nevertheless, all my perspiration was rewarded when ahead of me a black flash hurled through the bushes. This fuzzball, who I later found was Nasa, was followed by the rest of the Kasekela Chimpanzee community – the very community Jane studied. The group is led by the recently appointed alpha-male Fudge, who gained power last year after a heated coup d’etat which resulted in the overthrow of the older tyrant, Ferdinand. Most of the chimpanzees that Jane studied have passed away, but remaining stars include Gremlin, Gaia, Gizmo, Nasa, and Fudge. Surrounding them are their children and grandchildren, direct evidence for Gombe’s success in protecting chimpanzees for future generations. I spent one peaceful hour following the chimpanzees alongside the Gombe researchers who recorded their vocalisations and interactions. I will never forget how connected I felt when I would cross eyes with one of the chimpanzees, or when I heard the “human-like” giggles of the juvenile chimpanzees as they tussled in the leaves. After leaving the chimpanzees to finish their breakfast, I knew I was not just saying goodbye to the famous chimpanzees of Gombe, but also to my relatives, for they truly are, in so many ways, our not too distant kin.”
You can read Kate’s full story on our R&S project page and to play your own part in the special story of our Gombe chimpanzees, please donate to JGIA today.
5. Happy birthday to our incredible founder
On April 3rd, Dr Jane Goodall celebrates her birthday. We hope that you will join us in wishing her a wonderful year ahead. We are particularly looking forward to giving her a belated birthday hug in person in Australia in June, and in New Zealand in July! Each year on her birthday, we are reminded that Dr Jane’s one wish is to ensure the ongoing support of the Jane Goodall Institute globally. You can help make Dr Jane Goodall’s wish come true by generously making a birthday donation. Happy Birthday Dr Jane and see you soon!
Of course don’t forget to buy your tickets today to see Dr Jane Goodall herself in Australia in June 2017. To keep up to date and access special opportunities, become a member of the JGIA family. Of course you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
