Articlejanegoodall

The Jane Coodall Institute

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The Jane Goodall Institute News Center "The forest is our life" Pu b lish e d :tl1 7 | 2 OOB

News: JaneGoodall Chimoanzees IGI Worldwide Roots& Shoots Africa Proqrams Action Alerts ElsewhereIn News Events:

A recent film screening for students in T a n za ni a.P hoto: JGI

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In nofthernTanzania,a group of studentsin shorts and blue sweaterswalks along the bumpy road towardsschool.As they noticea familiarvehicle* loadedwith soundand film equipment- slowlyapproach,the students beginto shout, in Kiswahili,"The forest is our life."Insidethis familiarvehicleare Richard Kombaand Sixtus Koromba,field teachers who, since 2006, have facilitateda bond betweentwo youth environmentaleducation programs:the Jane GoodallInstitute's Roots & Shootsprogram and Naturefor Kids (NFK).

Foundedby DutchfilmmakerDagmarvan weehgelin 2002, NFKproducesfilms which delivereducationalmessagesabout ecologicalproblemsfacing EastAfrican communities.The phrase"the forestis our life" comesfrom the song whichopens each of NFK'sschoolvisits. Since 1991, Roots& Shoots,JGI's youth driven network that assistsyoung peoplein effectingpositivechangein their own communities,has established over 500 clubsin 10 regionsacrossAfrica.Throughthe combined resources,scopeand experienceof Roots& Shootsand NFK,more youth in Tanzaniaare becomingawareof the environmental issueswhich impactthem, and what they can do to help. The NKF mobile video set up, which containsa generator,an extra long extension cord, a portablemovie screen,window black out cloths,speakers,and a DVD player,allows Richardand Sixtus to travel acrossnorthernTanzania,targetingover 35,000schoolchildren.Eachclassroomis filledwith a huddledaudienceof several hundredstudentsas well as teachers,and the NFKfilm is the first movie many of the studentshave ever seen. Three films, "sophia and the TerrificForest,""Mkoboand the Great Lion," and "Issa

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The Jane Coodall Institrte

and the ReturningGrasslands,"discussdeforestation,endangeredanimals,and overgrazing,respectively.Eachof Weehgel'sfilms - which are shot on locationin Tanzaniaand feature local schoolchildrenas well as community members- follows a similar story line: a young child becomesa local hero by developingan innovative way to protect nature. In additionto highlightingthe cooperationbetween community members,particularlybetweenchildrenand adults,the films demonstratethe significantrole a Singlechild can play in environmental conservation* a belieffervently sharedby Dr. Jane Goodallas well. "Every individualmatters," she says. "Every individualhas a role to play. Every individual makes a difference." Additionally,NFK'sinvolvementwith localteachers,artists, musicians,companies and crew ensuresthat the films help to stimulatelocal economies' The program'srural outreachhas includedoutreachwithin the Ngorongoro Conservationarea: a regionpopulatedprimarily by the Maasaitribe, who play an integralrole in the ecologicalbalanceof the area.

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