International Anti-Poaching Foundation Inc

DELIVER ECOLOGICAL STABILITY AND LONG-TERM PROTECTION OF LARGE-SCALE WILDERNESS BY SUPPORTING AND EMPOWERING LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

AKASHINGA: EARLY IN 2017, WE DEVELOPED THE CONCEPT OF A PROGRAM TO PROTECT ANIMALS AND ECOSYSTEMS WHILE EMPOWERING LOCAL WOMEN AND SUPPORTING RURAL ECONOMIES. IN AUGUST 2017, CONCEPT BECAME REALITY WITH THE RECRUITMENT OF 32 LOCAL WOMEN IN ZIMBABWE'S LOWER ZAMBEZI VALLEY. MOST OF THESE WOMEN ARE SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE AND OTHER DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, BUT DESPITE (OR PERHAPS BECAUSE OF) THEIR OWN VIOLENT PASTS, THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO DEFEND ANOTHER SPECIES. THESE STRONG, CAPABLE WOMEN HAVE ALSO PROVEN THEMSELVES BRAVE - WHICH IS WHAT "AKASHINGA" MEANS: "THE BRAVE ONES" IN THE LOCAL SHONA LANGUAGE. AKASHINGA EMBODIES IAPF'S PHILOSOPHY THAT WHEN YOU ADDRESS SOCIAL ISSUES, YOU PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THE CONSERVATION PROBLEM.DESPITE THE ONGOING GLOBAL PANDEMIC IN 2021, IAPF RECRUITED, TRAINED, AND DEPLOYED AN ADDITIONAL 71 AKASHINGA RANGERS IN ZIMBABWE AND EXPANDED OUR OPERATIONAL PATROLS INTO ADDITIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAT BROADEN OUR PORTFOLIO. THIS WAS ACHIEVED THROUGH INVITATIONS FROM TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY LEADERS AND GOVERNMENT WHO HAVE SEEN THE TRANSFORMATIONAL POWERS OF THE AKASHINGA PROGRAM. YOUR SUPPORT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN. LIKE MOST CONSERVANCIES UNDER OUR MANAGEMENT, THE SONGO WILDLIFE AREA HAS A HISTORY OF TROPHY HUNTING, AND MORE RECENTLY POACHING. SINCE IAPF TOOK OVER A 20-YEAR LEASE, IT IS SLOWLY BEING REBUILT TO ALLOW WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE TO LIVE TOGETHER. AFTER ONE YEAR, NOT A SINGLE ELEPHANT HAS BEEN LOST TO POACHING AND THE WARY GIANTS HAVE STARTED TO SHOW THEMSELVES DURING THE DAY IN THE CONSERVANCY THANKS TO OUR FEARLESS RANGERS WHO WORK TIRELESSLY TO PROTECT THEM FROM HARM. IN ADDITION TO ELEPHANTS, THE WILDLIFE AREA IS NOW HOME TO SMALL HERDS OF IMPALA, BUFFALO, AND WATERBUCK, AS WELL AS PLENTY OF BUSHBUCK AND DUIKER, WHICH ARE NOW ATTRACTING PREDATOR SPECIES. THESE ARE SCIENTIFIC INDICATORS OF A REHABILITATING ECOSYSTEM. ADDITIONALLY, WE SUPPORTED ROAD DEVELOPMENT (EMPLOYING 150 MEN TO REBUILD 50 MILES OF ROAD); SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL WOMEN; ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND INFORMATION ON COVID VACCINES; AND THE BUILDING OF A COMMUNITY HALL. OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH DIFFERS BASED ON THE NEEDS OF EACH COMMUNITY. IAPF IS VIEWED AS A PARTNER FOR CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREAS THAT WE SERVE, EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR NEEDS. WE ARE EMPOWERING WOMEN, STABILIZING COMMUNITIES, AND GROWING NETWORKS OF CARING PEOPLE WHILE ACCOMPLISHING OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: THE PROTECTION OF NATURE.

LEADRANGER: INITIATED IN 2016, THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES INTENSE, ADVANCED, HANDS-ON PRACTICAL TRAINING TO ACTIVE (OFTEN SENIOR) RANGERS, OFFERING CUSTOMIZED CURRICULUM ACCORDING TO THEIR HOME UNITS' NEEDS. TRAINING SUBJECTS INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE: INTEGRATION OF UNARMED COMMUNITY SCOUTS AND ARMED RANGERS INTO UNIFIED PATROLS; TRACKING; PROCESSING WILDLIFE CRIME SCENES; TACTICAL PURSUIT OPERATIONS; EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND TACTICAL FIELD CARE; COMMAND AND CONTROL; LAW ENFORCEMENT DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS; AND MORE. GRADUATES FROM THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE 185 INSTRUCTORS FROM EIGHT COUNTRIES WHO OVERSEE A WORKFORCE OF 5,000 RANGERS PROTECTING 20 MILLION ACRES OF AFRICAN WILDERNESS. WE WORK WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (SUCH AS KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE) AND NGOS TO DETERMINE AND MEET THEIR UNIQUE TRAINING NEEDS. IMPORTANTLY, WE ALSO TRAIN MOST STUDENTS WITHIN EACH COHORT TO INSTRUCTOR LEVEL, THE ULTIMATE GOAL BEING THEM TRAINING OTHER RANGERS IN THEIR HOME UNITS UPON RETURN. THIS VASTLY ADDS TO EACH UNIT'S EXPERTISE AND CONSERVATION EFFECTIVENESS. LEADRANGER GIVES RIGOROUS TRAINING TO RANGERS FROM ACROSS THE AFRICAN CONTINENT, AND THE MAJORITY GRADUATE OUR INTENSE AND CHALLENGING "TRAIN THE TRAINER" PROGRAM AS FULLY-FLEDGED SKILLS COACHES. UPON GRADUATION THEY RETURN TO THEIR HOME UNITS, AND CUMULATIVELY HAVE TRAINED ADDITIONAL THOUSANDS OF OTHER RANGERS IN THE SKILLS THEY LEARNED WITH US. WE GIVE THEM CUTTING-EDGE OPERATIONAL SKILLS, BUT ALSO THE SPECIFIC "TOOLS" REQUIRED TO EDUCATE FELLOW RANGERS. PREVIOUS GRADUATES HAVE ALREADY TRAINED COUNTLESS OTHER RANGERS, ADDING DEPTH, EXPERIENCE, EFFECTIVENESS, AND SURVIVABILITY TO AFRICA'S CONSERVATION FORCES. WE ALSO REGULARLY CONDUCT "RANGER LIFE SAVER" (ADVANCED FIELD FIRST AID) REFRESHER COURSES FOR STUDENTS; WE HAVE SEEN RESULTS FROM THIS COURSE IN THE FIELD, WITH SEVERAL RANGERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS BEING TREATED AND LIVES LITERALLY SAVED. THIS IS THE POWER OF LEADRANGER: DEVELOPING LEADERS, GROWING IMPACT.

IAPF TACKLES CONSERVATION WITH A SOCIAL IMPACT APPROACH ADDRESSING ISSUES OF HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, PROVISION OF CLEAN WATER, AND INFRASTRUCTURE (INCLUDING THE BUILDING OF ROADS, SCHOOLS, CLINICS, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS). IN 2021, WE WERE ABLE TO EXPAND THESE ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO THE COMMUNITIES WITH WHOM WE WORK. WE AWARDED 125 SCHOLARSHIPS TO UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUTH (70% FEMALE STUDENTS) AND LAUNCHED OUR CONSERVATION CLUB IN PARTNERSHIP WITH "WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ACTION." THE CLUB DEVELOPS THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS BY INCORPORATING CONSERVATION EDUCATION INTO CLASSROOM CURRICULUM.

WILDLIFE CRIME UNIT (WCU): DUE TO THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF THE WORK, WILDLIFE CRIME UNIT (WCU) IS A LESS-PUBLICIZED PROGRAM. THIS WORK FOCUSES ON THE WILDLIFE SMUGGLING SUPPLY CHAIN. WCU INVESTIGATES ACTIVITIES ABOUT WILDLIFE CRIME WITH THE INTENT OF PROSECUTING CRIMINALS INVOLVED WITH TRAFFICKING. WORKING WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN EACH OF THE COUNTRIES WE OPERATE, CONTINUOUS PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO ILLEGAL NETWORKS HELPING TO DRIVE DOWNTURNS IN POACHING.