It is with profound sadness and deep gratitude that we at Akashinga pay tribute to our esteemed patron and Advisory Committee Chair, Dr. Jane Goodall, who passed away on October 1, 2025 at age 91. Her life was a testament to courage, curiosity, compassion, and an unshakeable belief in humanity’s capacity to heal the planet.
A Life of Vision and Discovery
From her earliest days, Jane Goodall’s passion for aiding, observing, learning about animals would chart a course no one quite anticipated. Born in London in 1934, she ventured to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania in 1960 to observe chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
What she discovered forever changed science and the way we see nonhuman life:
- Chimpanzees use tools, once believed to be an exclusively human trait.
- Chimpanzees demonstrate emotion, individuality, social bonds, even forms of grief and affection.
- That naming animals and observing them as individuals (rather than objective specimens) could yield deeper insight, even if it broke convention.
Her landmark, long-term studies reshaped the field of primatology, challenged scientific assumptions, and laid a stronger moral foundation for conservation.
As she aged, her work shifted outward from research to activism, from observation to advocacy. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute and initiated Roots & Shoots, a youth empowerment programme active in tens of thousands of communities globally. She became a global voice on climate change, habitat preservation, animal welfare, and our interconnected future on Earth.
Among her many honours were Damehood (DBE), the Templeton Prize, the Kyoto Prize, and in 2025 she was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Jane Goodall and Akashinga
For Akashinga, Jane was more than an icon: she was a guiding light, a moral compass, a steady presence of faith in possibilities. As our Advisory Committee Chair and patron, she lent not just her name, but her spirit, her encouragement, and her unwavering belief in women leading conservation.
We were honoured to share a virtual talk with Jane in 2023, where she spoke directly to our founder, Damien Mander, about resilience, hope, and the vital role of women in protecting wildlife. That conversation remains a treasured moment for our team. Her warmth, wisdom, and encouragement continue to inspire us today.
Her values resonated deeply with our mission: that women can be frontline guardians of wildlife and habitat, that compassion must be paired with courage, and that change begins in the hearts of communities. She inspired us to imagine what seemed unlikely, to hold strong in adversity, and to always point toward hope.
We will carry forward her legacy of listening, listening to the land, to animals, to the voices of the rural communities in which we work, and marrying that listening with action. In every patrol that stops poaching, in every village meeting, in every conversation about land restoration or species protection, we will remember Jane’s words and her life.
A Legacy That Lives
When Jane once said, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make,” she spoke not just of personal choices but of global purpose. Her life was her answer.
Though she has passed from this world, the world remains better for her presence. Her discoveries will continue to guide science; her activism will inspire new generations; her ethic of reverence for life will echo in the actions of countless individuals and organisations.
To our Advisory Committee, to our supporters, to the many communities and conservationists she shaped, we mourn her passing, we celebrate her life, and we recommit to the vision she dedicated her life to.
Rest in power, Dr. Jane Goodall. Your footsteps stretch far beyond your time.
