Zimbabwe's Women- A New Line of Defense Against Illegal Poaching

An Akashinga member in full gear

When it comes to tackling poaching of endangered wildlife, most members in anti-poaching squads have been men. However, it has been noted that women are also taking part in the ongoing battle against illegal poaching. One of these all-women anti-poaching squads is in Zimbabwe, where an extraordinary group of local women are part of a project called Akashinga or the "Brave Ones." The women are trained and enlisted by a former Australian special forces sniper named Damien Mander, who is also the founder of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF). In early 2017, the IAPF was called for help with conservation efforts in the Lower Zambezi ecosystem, where poaching reduced the number of elephants by 40 percent since 2001. In response, Mr. Mander established Akashinga after taking inspiration from the Black Mambas, the world's first all-women (unarmed) anti-poaching squad from South Africa. The selection for the project was opened solely to underprivileged women, such as jobless single mothers, prostitutes, victims of physical and sexual abuse, wives of imprisoned poachers, and widows and orphans, in order to make an opportunity for the most unsafe women in Zimbabwe's rural society. The experimental project began with 16 women and is entering its second phase with 35 women who are now part of the program.

Damien Mander the founder of IAPF and creator of Akashinga

I'm very amazed to find that women are being recruited to take part in the continuous battle against illegal poaching. Many of these women had a very miserable life in their local community, and have now found an opportunity to do something honest with their life and keep them safe from any physical or emotional harm. The women who are part of Akashinga have given a remarkable performance in the project's special-forces training program. That is, according to Mr. Mander, 36 women were pushed much harder than men during training; out of which only three dropped out. Furthermore, an IAPF spokesperson added that the women have proven to be more effective at demobilizing situations instead of antagonizing them. This goes to show that women are just as good as men in handling the pressure and danger of being out in the front lines against poachers when protecting the endangered wildlife. I firmly believe that empowering women is the single best technique for positive change in the world, and this includes employing women to combat poaching. I really think that countries around the world should follow Zimbabwe's example in enlisting women, particularly from rural communities, in the ongoing battle against poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. Women empowerment through skills development and sustainable employment in rural communities can bring many benefits, such as heightened life expectancy through better access to healthcare, more children able to engage in education, support for regional businesses, and an ample economy. If the women of Zimbabwe are able to participate in training and learn skills to fulfill the role of a male ranger, then so can other women.

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