Founded in 2007, the Jane Goodall Institute Singapore was set up in order to continue building up on Goodall’s legacy and vision in Singapore. The institute carries forth her beliefs about the importance of being pro-active in extending humaneness to all living things, and how this will have a significant impact on the wellbeing of the world. The Institution specifically targets the youth in addressing local issues in three areas that are inextricably linked:
Human community. Animals. Natural environment.
Today, JGIS has incorporated four key programs:
- Roots & Shoots service learning program
- Environmental education through Eco-literacy classes for Secondary Schools
- Monkey Walks
- Public talks & initiatives on Environment-Animals-Community issues
Some notable efforts include:
Raffles Girls’ School’s Monkey Business Team
The RGS Monkey Business Team has been advocating the importance of conserving Singapore’s native long-tailed macaques since 2008 with the goal of creating a amicable relationship between Singaporeans and the macaques, and ensuring a harmonious environment for both parties. The team engaged the public using educational outreach campaigns such as school-based sharing, seminars, newsletters. They also conducted talks at the Lower and Upper Pierce Reservoir, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, and the residents who live near these nature reserves.
The Singapore American School’s SAVE (Students Against Violation of the Environment) Club
The SAVE club organises regular guided walks for the visually-handicapped along the Sensory Trail located at Pulau Ubin. It is a nature walk that is specially designed to allow the visually impaired to attain a firsthand experience of nature. Apart from the goals of conserving the environment, the trail also operates from the belief that those who are visually impaired should not be deprived of their chances to appreciate and experience nature. With the aid of Braille signs and sighted guides, sounds of local birds and the smells of varying plants are pointed out to the visually impaired along the walk.
“Close to Man. Closer to Extinction”
The Roots & Shoots Youth United from the National University of Singapore organised the first primate conservation campaign to educate the public on the Banded Leaf monkeys in Singapore. Within a span of 10 weeks, the group managed to gain 100 followers on Twitter as well and garnered 400 likes on Facebook. The group also hosted an educational exhibit in NUS centered on the conservation of Banded Leaf monkeys and the sustained efforts of Jane Goodall in supporting sustainable living, the nature and wildlife.
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