Kathmandu:

Kids aren’t realistic, they feel that we can change the world, and we try to keep that spirit alive,” said Jane Goddall talking about Roots and Shoots.

“People care about the environment but feel helpless and don’t know what to do, so we are trying to leave a blueprint with the youth, the children to bring about that change, and it is also a way for them to influence their parents,” she added.

Roots and Shoots is organisation that is involved in protecting the environment. The name Roots and Shoots came up as roots struggle through boulders for water and move it aside to make its own way, while shoots reach out for sunlight. That is what Goodall wants the youth to do.

Her efforts have been quite successful as today there are youth of more than 100 countries involved in it.

It has spread its roots to Nepal too. Majoj Gautam said, “When we were in school we had our own group which addressed environmental issues. Even when I was in Class VII, I always knew I wanted to meet Jane (Goodall), so I emailed her.”

But at that time someone else replied. Seeing the work the group was involved in, Roots and Shoots took interest and after negotiations its Nepal chapter began in early 2003.

And not only has Gautam’s wish to meet Goodall come true, he is one of the recipients of the Jane Goddall Youth Leadership Awards which was given recently. Currently, they have over 69 groups in various parts of the country like Gulmi, Nawalparasi, Salyang, Dang, Bandipur, Pokhara, Kathmandu and others.

Roots and Shoots is a completely voluntary-based organisation working towards creating a better environment. They have core groups and smaller groups working for it. There are different types of programmes that they are working on these days. Some include protection of vultures in Nawalparasi, putting a stop to snake charmers in Kathmandu, providing education to children in slum areas, plantation programmes, rehabilitation of wild animals, controlling poison fishing in Dang, cleaning places.

School Level Awareness Programme (SLAP) is an initiative which has been quite successful as schools form their own groups under Roots and Shoots, find problems that need to be addressed and also look for feasible solutions for it.

Education for Domestic Child Labour is another which they are conducting with the support from the British Council which they feel will bring about positive changes.

Gautam said, “After we started this programme it has also been used in a few other South Asian countries by the British Council.”

While some of the programmes are running successfully, they do have difficulties giving consistency to some.

Their upcoming plan is to make the Environmental education more inclusive in schools for which they are consulting academicians and specialists to form a guideline, give trainings so that it can supplement Environmental education in school. This will be launched in 30 pilot schools in the initial phase. “We believe in starting from a small level, as it will have more impact and success can be achieved in the long run, we have seen such success stories amidst us,” said Gautam.

Though Gautam and his team would like to see more youth involved, they at times are in a dilemma whether to accept new ones or not as many come in just for a good recommendations. But, if you are truly interested, have the patience and dedication for this cause, do join in, he says.