“Roots creep underground everywhere and make a firm foundation. Shoots seem very weak, but to reach the light, they can break open brick walls. Imagine that the brick walls are all the problems we have inflicted on our planet. Hundreds of thousands of roots and shoots, hundreds of thousands of young people around the world, can break through these walls. We can change the world.” – Jane Goodall’s interview with Bill Moyers on Bill Moyers Journal (November 27, 2009)
How it started
In 1991, a group of 12 local Tanzanians brought up a range of various problems they have encountered in their community to Goodall. Their extension of humaneness to the environment, along with their drive and pro-active approach in configuring possible solutions to tackle these problems inspired Goodall to form the Roots & Shoots of today.
Approach
Goodall believed that young people are responsible for the future of our planet, and inspiring them to take part in that future and see themselves as part of the whole world is a key part of her vision. Roots & Shoots aims to inculcate in youth empathy and appreciation for all living things, advocate consideration of all cultures and beliefs, and spur individuals to engage in pro-environmental action to pave the way to a sustainable future for people, animals, and the environment. Today, it leads a global movement in conservation by equipping youth from preschool to university with the knowledge and confidence to act on their conservation beliefs and make a difference.
4-Step Formula
Roots & Shoots encourages young people to create and integrate their own service projects into the local community via the 4-Step formula, which aids in developing a sense of service and leadership within their own communities.
Roots & Shoots 4-Step Formula (Image Credits: Zhi Wen Chia, 2017)
Members get engaged by learning about Goodall and witness how young people can change the world through Roots & Shoots.
After observing and mapping different aspects of their community for a week each, members identify the characteristics and resources available for people, animals and their environment in their community. Afterwards, they elaborate on the various needs of each stakeholder, before brainstorming on how to better utilise the resources in the community to better address their needs. Mapping can be done via hand-drawing from observation, computer generation using mapping like Google Maps™ or Google Earth™, world building game or application like Minecraft™ or Kodu Game Lab™, created over a printed street map, or a 3-dimensional diorama.
Members take action by first starting up their own project profile on the official Roots & Shoots website before identifying community collaborators and community members who would participate in the campaign. They carry out their project over a span of the next few weeks.
Members celebrate the success of their project through an awareness service where members each receive a signed cert. Members then conduct a post-assessment activity such as surveying the community or conducting a re-mapping of the region to evaluate their impact before updating their project profile on the Official Roots & Shoots website with the final outcomes of their campaigns.
If you are interested in learning more about developing your own project to help your community, click here.
Project of the Month
Till date, Roots & Shoots have reached out to 130 communities and generated 5800+ projects from members around the world. Each month, Roots & Shoots recognises and celebrates the success of one group’s efforts by awarding them the Project of the Month certificate. Their projects are also featured on Roots & Shoots’ social media and website.
The Power of Hope
Watch how Roots & Shoots programs have transformed the lives of people from all around the world!