The Jane Goodall Institute has opened its first Hong Kong office to offer support for student-led community initiatives. The Quarry Bay office will co-ordinate the Hong Kong branch of the institute's Roots and Shoots programme, aimed at encouraging youth to improve their communities. The programme, with more than HK$1million in funding from the government and private donors, starts this academic year. It will focus on primary and secondary schools and will support more than 100 student-led projects over the next three years. It will help student groups to plan, develop and implement their ideas. Classes will be offered to teach students to finance projects. 'We are holding a Roots and Shoots day of peace on September 20 to raise awareness of our presence,' said the institute's programme manager Corinne Kassay. The institute's first local event will include a peace walk at The Peak, face painting and seminars. Roots and Shoots will also provide courses such as English through the Environment to help students improve their language skills while taking part in environmental activities. Branching out from conservation, Dr Jane Goodall realised there was more to be done and founded Roots and Shoots in 1991 when youngsters in Tanzania were frustrated by problems in their community. Topics such as the welfare of domestic animals, deforestation and the survival of wild animals were discussed on her back porch. After students conducted projects that included educating residents of Dar es Salaam on the treatment of domestic animals, Goodall was so impressed that she decided to take this idea and apply it on a global scale. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 and has been honoured as a United Nations Messenger of Peace for her work as a primate expert and humanitarian. The institute's goal is to improve the understanding of great apes and contribute to the preservation of chimpanzees, according to its website. For more information, visit www.janegoodall.org/about-jgi