There is a team of elite all-female rangers in Zimbabwe who are protecting Africa’s ecosystems from poachers, specifically rhino and elephant poachers. They are badass to say the least. So far, these Akashinga rangers have arrested 150 poachers and not a single poacher has been killed. Strong, resilient, amazing women who are not only saving critical wildlife from death, they are demonstrating the immense value of empowering women.
I had the honor and pleasure of learning about these remarkable women at a National Geographic speaker series in Seattle recently.
More than 160 women, many of whom were victims of abuse, have already passed the rigorous training necessary for the Akashinga rangers. The training is similar to that of elite special-forces teams in countries around the world. It is grueling and intense.
The concept was the idea of Damien Mander, a badass himself who used be a clearance diver (think similar to SEAL) and special operations sniper in the Australian Defense Force. While traveling in Africa in 2009, he saw the criminal networks that were threatening the survival of rhinos and elephants.
Damian, who spoke at the National Geographic event, founded and is the CEO of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF). He was likable, passionate and appeared to be humbled by the power of the women on the elite force.
On his website Damian says, “The impact has been phenomenal as they’ve built strong relationships with locals, de-escalated conflict and invested in their communities.” Apparently there has been no corruption in this team of women either. And these women are serving as role models for the children of the community, both male and female.
I am so impressed by all of this. The physical, mental and emotional strength of the women; the number of animals they are saving from harm; and the positive way they have integrated their work into the communities where they live. They plan to build the team to 1000 rangers in the next few years.
Much more than role models for their communities, these women are role models for the world.
Both photos of the Akashinga rangers are courtesy of IAPF.org.
