My Piece of the Jigsaw, A Tribute to Dr Jane Goodall

I woke up this morning to a text from a friend sharing the upsetting news that Dr Jane Goodall has passed away. While I am saddened to hear she is no longer earthside, I also can't help but wonder in awe at the legacy she has left behind. The woman was an absolute force, and she has had a profound impact on my life.

Jane Goodall’s groundbreaking research with chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania, transformed the way scientists understood the natural world. At the time, many in the Global North believed that only humans had minds, emotions and personalities. By documenting tool use, social bonds and complex behaviours among chimpanzees, Jane challenged this view. Her choice to name the chimps and describe their individuality was dismissed by some as unscientific, and she was often told that her perspective was an example of why women should not be scientists. Yet she persisted, reshaping primatology and becoming a lifelong advocate for animals and the environment.

I’m a huge Jane Goodall stan (am I too old to say stan? Maybe!). I’ve seen her speak several times and even had the chance to meet her on a few occasions. One of the most special moments of my life was taking the children I’d been working with for six years to Melbourne Zoo to meet Jane and share the project they’d been running to advocate for green waste bins in our community. The impact of that short time with her was enormous. One child in particular, who loved the natural world and spent his spare time studying snakes and photographing birds, had a sparkle in his eyes for the rest of the day. Jane met with thousands of children across the world, always sharing her message and inspiring them to take action for people and planet.

Photo taken by Phil Hines during Jane Goodall’s Australian tour with Roots & Shoots Australia

Her story has stayed with me and continues to influence my life and work. In 2016, when I walked 3500km across Southeast Asia as part of Walk Sew Good, I named the backpack I carried Jane and drew strength from her story during the hard days. I have a framed drawing of her in my apartment to remind me of her courage and tenacity. And when the problems of the world feel like they're all too much, I think of this quote:

"I like to envision the whole world as a jigsaw puzzle...

If you look at the whole picture, it is overwhelming and terrifying, but if you work on your little part of the jigsaw and know that people all over the world are working on their little bits, that's what will give you hope."

Meg & the Wildflowers is my piece of the jigsaw puzzle. Jane knew the powerful impact children can have and dedicated her life to planting seeds of change wherever she went. Through Meg & the Wildflowers, her legacy lives on in some small way. I hope to support families and educators to help the children in their lives find their piece of the puzzle so we can shape a more fair, regenerative and just world together.

In honour of Jane, I've just released a poster featuring the above quote. It's free to download, and I hope it finds a meaningful place in your home or classroom.