Two recent Roots & Shoots projects, one in a Luxembourg school and one in a French detention centre, show how learning about the natural world can grow into compassion and practical action, wherever it takes root.
The Eco Rangers at ISL in Luxembourg began their Roots & Shoots journey by learning about Jane Goodall and how her patient observations of chimpanzees transformed our understanding of animals, their relationships and their ability to use tools. To mark Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday, they explored how his extraordinary storytelling has inspired generations to appreciate and protect the natural world, and around Earth Day they learned how reduce, reuse and recycle can help protect the planet.
Inspired by these nature heroes, the students considered where they could make a difference in their own community. They chose bees. They discovered why bees are essential for pollination, food production and biodiversity, and that many species are threatened by habitat loss, pesticides, climate change and a lack of flowers and safe nesting spaces. They also learned that not all bees live in hives: Many wild bees are solitary, and some make their homes underground.
The Eco Rangers then turned their learning into action. They identified bee habitats around ISL, organised a suitable bee hotel for their playground area, and identified and protected a habitat used by ground nesting bees, adding information so other children could learn about the bees living beneath their feet. They planted bee friendly flowers and kept watering them during the hot weather, reused materials wherever possible in their activities and creations, raised awareness through posters, flyers and handcrafted bee gifts, and organised a colourful Bee Bazaar to share what they had learned with the wider community.
In Rochefort detention centre, a prison library now has its very own Jane Goodall Corner. A month long programme led by cultural mediator Natacha Hennon introduced inmates to Jane Goodall’s life, her research and her Vision of Hope, complete with a dedicated library corner, a photo exhibition and documentaries on her work in Gombe.
When Roots & Shoots France coordinator Daphné Bouhélier visited in February 2026 to close the programme, many inmates had already read Jane’s books cover to cover. One shared that he had finished My Life with the Chimpanzees in record time, despite usually struggling to finish a book at all.
To mark the moment, inmates received a sponsorship certificate for Cozy, a rescued chimpanzee at the Chimp Eden sanctuary in South Africa: A lasting link to the wild that shows empathy knows no boundaries. The project returns next year, with plans to reach more prisons.
Whether in a playground or behind prison walls, these projects share the same conviction: every individual can make a difference. To find your local Roots & Shoots office and get involved, visit our home page.
Image Credits: JGI France / R&S Luxembourgh
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