JGINZ'S Africa Focus
New Zealanders supporting animals, people and the environment.
Given the interconnected nature of animals, people and the environment, the Jane Goodall Institute long ago began programmes to ensure that each element was considered and supported to flourish.
This via our Africa Programmes, in chimpanzee range countries, JGI’s around the world work to build the capacity of communities to be self-sustaining in ways that enable them to prosper economically and culturally, while protecting the natural resources on which their long-term prosperity depends.
JGI’s work is distinguished by its participatory, systems-based approach, successfully mobilising people to adopt new behaviours and practices to serve themselves and the broader landscape they rely on to survive. We apply this approach across multiple sectors, from agriculture and health to education and micro-credit.
JGINZ's Africa Programme Focus
Chimpanzee Care & Protection
Poachers kill thousands of chimpanzees each year for the illegal bushmeat trade. Sometimes they spare the lives of the smallest, selling them as pets or for entertainment. JGINZ works to end the illegal commercial bush meat trade through contributing to education and awareness programmes, changing policy and community-centred conservation activities including development of alternate sources of protein.
To help the youngest victims – the orphaned babies – JGI operates Tchimpounga, a safe haven in the Republic of Congo, where orphans who have been confiscated from the black market can get needed care and attention. Tchimpounga was founded in 1992 and today hosts more than 150 chimps and as of 2011 includes three islands where chimps live in near-wild conditions.
You can learn more about Tchimpounga - The rehabilitation centre, and meet some of the chimps that have been cared for and now have Tchimpounga as their home.
You can also help us support orphaned chimpanzees at Tchimpounga and become a Chimp Guardian.
Peer Education
Uganda has the highest school dropout rate in East Africa. Girls are particularly impacted in times of poverty, when their education is sacrificed and the cycle of poverty begins. Often when girls reach puberty, they leave school to marry or contribute to the household by assisting with tasks such as farming and water collection. This problem is compounded by a lack of access to reproductive health information and materials. When women are educated they are more likely to find employment, have a higher income and invest in their family’s future. And it only costs $100 to fund a girl’s entire high school education!
Through this programme we fund girls schooling as well as equip women with information on health and life skills who then share their learning with classmates.
Micro-Credit
Giving local people, living around vital ecosystems, the tools to grow their own business helps to create viable sustainable communities. Microfinance allows community members to pursue their dreams and combats the poverty which is such a large contributing factor as to why other modes of conservation, with less community partnership and investment, fail.
When people are able to care for themselves and their families through responsible economic management, issues across a spectrum improve including education, quality of life, and a reduction in family size. Simultaneously, the positive outcomes for wildlife are massive, as reliance on methods of agriculture and resources from these habitats are diminished, they are able to restore their populations and flourish.
At JGINZ we support women’s projects to create income. Not only does this stop women from practices such as unsustainable farming or firewood collection and sale (deforestation), it also gives them a higher income which they can spend on educating their children. This is critical in breaking the cycle of poverty. When women are educated and have an income source, they also tend to have less children, which means women are better able to provide for their families and the environmental impacts are lower.
To support these women, please purchase a bead necklace or bracelet made by women in Uganda from our JGINZ shop.