The Akashinga Ranger Report is a quarterly newsletter that puts you behind-the-scenes with Africa’s plant-based, all-female Akashinga Rangers. You'll be immersed in the rangers’ activities, experiences, stories, and achievements as they protect, connect, and restore invaluable ecosystems across Southern and East Africa.
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Rangers Gain Tech Confidence During the GEF EarthRanger Women's Summit at Phundundu

“To be with other women is meaningful,” says Ranger Supervisor Sergeant Wadzanai Munemo. She recently participated in the GEF EarthRanger Women's Summit at Phundundu, Zimbabwe, which brought together 14 women from across Southern Africa to develop their skills and engage with the conservation app.

Hosted at Akashinga’s Phundundu Camp, this summit provided female rangers and conservation leaders from Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Mozambique with specialised training in wildlife monitoring and conservation tech. EarthRanger collects, integrates, and displays available data and combines it with reports from the field to provide a unified view of the activities and assets in a protected area. Akashinga Rangers use it on patrols and in daily operations for security, human-wildlife conflict, ecological management, and logistical planning.

With support from GEF EarthRanger, Peace Parks Foundation, Botswana’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks, and Conservation International, this initiative is helping to bridge the gender gap in conservation, ensuring more women have access to the education and resources needed to lead in this space. As Wadzanai says — bringing women together to socialise and share ideas and skills — “gives us pride and instils us with the confidence we need to be leaders.”

Sergeant Nyaradzo Hoto Shares Her Insights at TedX Vail

Sergeant Nyaradzo Hoto, our Biodiversity Supervisor in Akashinga East Zimbabwe, recently delivered an impactful talk at TEDx Vail Next, a virtual event featuring 14 women leaders who are creating meaningful change in their communities and beyond.

Nyaradzo’s work with Akashinga has been instrumental in safeguarding ecosystems and creating solutions that benefit both wildlife and local communities. In her talk, Nyaradzo shares her journey — from leaving an abusive marriage to finding strength and purpose as part of Akashinga’s all-female anti-poaching team. Her story challenges traditional ideas about rangers and highlights how women are vital to conservation efforts.

“Empowering women is one of the most effective ways to improve the protection of nature and to promote social transformation. My story proves that with perseverance, commitment, and support, remarkable change is possible,” says Nyaradzo. Her TEDx talk also serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of uplifting and including communities to take an active role in conservation.

We are honoured to have Nyaradzo represent Akashinga on such an esteemed global platform, sharing insights that resonate deeply within the conservation field.

Watch Nyaradzo’s talk below:

Kariba Media Awards Recognise Akashinga’s Contribution to the Hurungwe Community

Akashinga Zimbabwe was recently recognised for its work in the local community at the Kariba Hurungwe Media and Business Awards. Held on December 13, 2024, aboard a cruise boat on Lake Kariba, the event gathered members of the media with conservation, tourism, and local business organisations.

The annual awards are organised by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists’ (ZUJ) Kariba chapter, with the intention of fostering a collaborative spirit between the media and business sectors to drive sustainable development and promote the resort town.

Some of the organisations present included Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZIMPARKS), African Parks (Matusadona), Kasambabezi FM, Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS), Kariba, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Kariba, Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Boat Squadron, and the Kariba local community.

Akashinga was among several organisations nominated and awarded a certificate of Conservation Excellence. This was the first award of its kind, as the media awards were expanded this year to honour local businesses for their contributions to the community.

The award specifically recognises Akashinga’s efforts in community empowerment through conservation efforts in the mid-Zambezi region and has provided a platform for Akashinga to be put on the map locally among other conservation players.

Akashinga Ranger Sergeant Eve Mudenda Exceeds Her Own Expectations

Sergeant Eve Mudenda had a peaceful upbringing in Chunga village in Zimbabwe’s Binga district, enjoying netball at school and spending time with her four sisters. But her parents were poor, and school fees became a luxury they could not afford. Eve explains that poverty affected her much more than just her schooling; at the age of 19, it was the reason she was pushed into a marriage she didn’t want.

She spent six years in an abusive marriage before her husband divorced her and left her to support their two children single-handedly. Eve moved back to her parents’ homestead and through sheer determination provided for her children by farming the family plot. She says she felt like a failure, expecting that her children would now face the same challenges she had.

For Eve, the opportunity to become a ranger changed everything. Many times, during the difficult selection and training process, she considered giving up but each time she thought of her children and carried on.

Nearly five years later, Eve has been promoted to sergeant and is thriving in her job as a field ranger — she loves patrolling the bush, learning new things about the wildlife she protects, and sharing her knowledge with her kids. She is confident when meeting elephants and buffalo on foot and especially enjoys interacting with the herds of impala who cleverly dodge predators by leaping gracefully into the air.

Eve says her job has provided her with a healing space to interact with nature, and with fellow rangers who share similar experiences. She has secured a future for herself, and also has optimism that her children, Confidence and Precise, will escape the traumas she experienced and grow up with the kind of certainty their names imply.