Africa’s first armed, plant-based, all-women anti-poaching unit is revolutionising the way that animals are protected – and arresting poachers with minimal conflict.
We believe change happens when it’s community-led and who better to lead change within a community than the women that have been raised in them.
IAPF’s innovative approach to conservation calls for community
buy-in rather than full-on armed assault against poachers:
In seven years elephant populations plummeted by 30% across the continent, largely due to poaching.
Where the IAPF operates, poaching is eliminated
by over 80%
Akashinga is more than animal conservation and protection, life for many of the Akashinga women now means the ability to buy property, build a house, send their children to school, get a driver’s licence, finish high school, enrol in college and thoroughly
provide for their families.
These women aren’t called
the ‘Brave Ones' for no reason, they have already overcome abuse, marginalisation and trauma. Now they are empowered to protect themselves and the majestic African animals
under constant threat.
Our training is tough, we ensure our
rangers are prepared for the task in front
of them. We put them through the four pillars of misery - hunger, exhaustion, cold and
wet modelled after special forces training, and they succeed.
This program is truly supporting the community and protecting
an ecosystem under severe threat. But we need your help,
we can’t do it alone.