The Akashinga model brings conservation and community together whilst creating vital education and employment opportunities for communities in rural Africa.
Staff & Contractors
Acres Under Management
Reduction in Poaching
Increase in Wildlife
IAPF works hand in hand with communities that live alongside the wilderness we protect.
We provide paid employment to locals and ensure that every Akashinga ranger we educate, train and deploy, lives in the community where she works. 62% of all operational costs of the Akashinga model go directly back to the local community, with 80% flowing through to the household level.
In conservation, women are outnumbered by men in front-line roles by as much as 100:1.
By empowering rural women, the Akashinga program motivates improved healthcare, skills development, children staying in school, rape & sexual assault prevention, increased life expectancy, disease and poverty reduction and structured family planning.
We instil a culture of competence, learning and leadership in rangers by equipping them with the vital physical and mental tools they need to succeed.
Continuous learning is vital to our success and as we grow, our focus will remain on getting and keeping the basics right – transparent communication, capacity building, developing partnerships and ongoing learning.
We empower local communities to protect their own land, instead of doing it for them. Being a ranger in rural Africa is one of the most prestigious, dangerous and respected uniformed jobs.
Akashinga is not only an investment into women but their families, the development of rural communities and the protection of nature.
How can you help endangered species?
Although our efforts have helped bring about an 80% reduction in the level of poaching activity, rangers still need to remain vigilant. Wildlife species such as elephants and rhinos continue to be targeted by illegal hunting where they cannot be left to thrive by themselves. These animals have been hunted to the brink of extermination in many areas because their body parts such as horns and tusks, highly sought-after for use in luxury items as well as for their supposed medicinal use. The high prices the black market will pay for them gives poachers all the motivation they need to circumvent the law and put wildlife at risk. Don't buy or endorse any products made from these amazing animals.
How can you help to protect animal species from extinction?
How can you help stop poaching?
If you’re asking, “How can I help endangered species?” the answer may be simpler than you think. There are many things you can do to contribute, one of which is to get involved in our efforts. The best way to help is to donate monthly and join our Guardian program, otherwise take a look at all the other ways you can give.
Our organization works tirelessly to give those who live among these precious creatures the means to keep them safe. The training we provide women has led to more than 8.5 million acres of wilderness being protected. Our conservation and community work has contributed to a more than 399% increase in the levels of wildlife in studied areas, but we know this is only the beginning. You can support by sharing our story on social media or running your own fundraising event.
Akashinga is a community-driven conservation model, empowering disadvantaged women to restore and manage large networks of wilderness alongside their local communities, as an alternative economic model to trophy hunting.
Our goal is to employ 2,000 female rangers by 2030 protecting 30 million acres of wilderness under IAPF management.
The LEAD Ranger program delivers tailored training, long-term support and mentoring to develop wildlife crime-enforcement leaders and instructors who remain based in the ecosystems they are protecting.
This program is a collaborative initiative by the IAPF, the Thin Green Line Foundation, and Ranger Campus. Our goal is to train rangers that collectively protect 50 million acres.