Jane Goodall

He had two major problems to overcome.

One was, how was he going to get the money for this crazy scheme?

I mean, in those days, young people didn't go tramping off living with animals in the bush, especially girls.

And finally, he got some money from a wealthy American businessman, Leighton Wilkie.

And secondly, Tanzania, where the chimps are, was Tanganyika then.

It was under British colonial rule.

It was actually a protectorate.

And so the authorities, the British authorities said...

A young girl on her own in the bush, preposterous, impossible.

But Lewis never gave up.

So in the end, they said, oh, well, all right, but you must bring someone with her.

And who volunteered to come for the first four months but that same amazing mother?

Quite honestly, it never occurred to me.

I mean, I grew up in a family of very strong women.

There was, you know, when the war started, my father joined up.

Mom, my sister, and I went to live with her mother.

And my mother had two other sisters living in the house.

And then every weekend, or most weekends, my uncle would come.

He was the one male presence.

And it just never occurred to me to question that I would be able to do what I wanted.