Under-estimated and overlooked, these Zimbabwean women are fighting poaching and saving the worlds largest population of elephants.
Elephant poaching is on the rise in Zimbabwe and many poachers are resorting to poisining the elephants. A need for an uncorruptable anti-poaching unit rose and women were the best fit for the job.
The Akashinga (The Brave Ones) is an all women anti-poaching unit. The unit was set up by the International Anti-Poaching Foundations (IAPF) to combat the issues they had faced with having male-dominant anti-poaching units.
Predominately male forces are hampered by ongoing corruption, nepotism, drunkenness, aggressiveness towards local communities and a sense of entitlement. Whilst this is not absolute, an alternative approach has been needed. We decided to innovate, using an all female team to manage an entire nature reserve and have been astounded by the transformation and potential.
The IAPF have set up foundations in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia and the USA.
Akashinga aims to recruit 2000 women, protecting a network spanning 30 million acres of African wilderness and biodiversity by 2030 – Wilderness reclaimed from trophy hunting and run by women.
Watching the women beam with pride at the difference they make gives us goosebumps. Not only are these women empowering each other, they are able to support their families and make an impact within their communities.
They are trained in combat and armed to take down poachers. They have made over 30 arrests including a man who used cyanide to kill elephants in the area.
Take a look at a day in their lives below. The documentary was filmed by the BBC.
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