“When we put local communities at the heart of conservation, we improve the lives of people, animals and the environment.”
The Akashinga, or “brave ones” in the local Shona language of the miombo wetlands of Zimbabwe’s Phundundu Wildlife Area, have pride of place this World Elephant Day.
Akashinga: The Brave Ones, a short film executive-produced by feature filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence James Cameron, has been released across NatGeo’s international network of TV channels and streaming sites.
This comes on the heels of a profile on the CBS newsmagazine 60 Minutes and a spread in the June 2019 issue of National Geographic magazine that earned veteran conflict photographer Brent Stirton this year’s World Press Photo Association Award for environmental photography.
The Akashinga, to those in the know — and, increasingly, to those who weren’t until now, i.e. the wider public — are an all-female anti-poaching unit committed to wiping out the illegal wildlife trade — and ivory poaching in particular — in a 300-square kilometre (115 square mile) conservation area in the Zambezi Valley ecosystem.
The Zambezi, one of Africa’s most famous rivers, feeds directly into Victoria Falls.
Women as anti-poaching game rangers. It sounds like a gimmick, but according to Akashinga founder and former special forces operative Damien Mander, who has been training wildlife rangers in Zimbabwe for more than a decade, it’s anything but. With the women, Minder told National Geographic in 2019, an assault rifle is a tool. With the men, it’s more of a toy. The women must be prepared to face heavily armed poachers — but there are no Rambos in this unit. Working together as a self-contained, disciplined unit is job one. “One in, all in,” Mander said at the time.
The program is increasingly being viewed as a way to revolutionize the war against poaching, by empowering women in the community and placing local communities at the heart of any and all conservation decisions. If a community understands the economic benefit of preserving wildlife, it can eradicate — or at least scale back — poaching without any need for armed conflict. Women tend to be more engaged in their communities, economically and socially, than men. Mander knew that women who themselves had been marginalized, either through physical and sexual abuse or through economic hardship — many are single mothers — they would be more emotionally and ideologically invested in conservation efforts, if those efforts were shown to be a benefit to the community. Akashinga rangers are taught leadership, unarmed combat, wildlife awareness and conservation ethics. In exchange for helping combat poachers, they receive a salary, renewed purpose and an elevated, respected place in the community.
Does it work? In just three years, the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF), Akashinga’s parent NGO, had reported an 80% downturn in elephant poaching.
In a recent media interview to promote Cameron’s film, Akashinga ranger Petronella Chigumbura explained what drew her to a novel but seemingly crazy idea.
Crazy, that is, at first glance. Then the idea became practice, and it became clear the idea was anything but crazy., that is, at first glance. Then the idea became practice, and it became clear the idea was anything but crazy.
“I grew up in a poor, rural area of Zimbabwe and both of my parents passed away before I was able to finish my education,” Chigumbura explained. “In 2010 I got married, and after the birth of my second child I began having issues with my husband. I lived with him and his family and worked on their tobacco farm without any pay, and I struggled to feed myself and my kids. We divorced after I discovered he was having an affair.
“Since becoming an Akashinga ranger, I have become the breadwinner of my family and am able to take care of myself and my children. I have bought my own plot of land and have a driver’s license — I’m independent and proud of myself.”
That didn’t mean it was easy.
“Going through the selection and training process was hard. I pushed myself to my limits in order to pass as I knew it was the only chance for me to come out from my hard life. Through the program I have learned to respect nature and work as a team. I can do the same that a man can do. Bringing poachers to justice can be a dangerous job, but I do not get scared. I am the brave one and I’ve built confidence from the training and arrests we have made.
“To succeed as an Akashinga ranger you need to be hardworking, firm, fearless and willing to learn. . . . Traditionally, our community believed that only men could protect animals. My family and community (especially men) didn’t think I could hold a gun, move inside the thick bush and complete a successful arrest. Akashinga has empowered women like myself to be the protectors of animals and our communities. There have been increased arrests and convictions since the program started, and other women now understand and believe that they can do it too.”
If audiences take one thing away from Akashinga: The Brave Ones, Chigumbura hopes, it is this:
“I hope they can see that no matter how hard it gets, to keep pushing harder and harder and never lose hope.”
©National Geographic/Kim Butts