Tashinga Initiative - Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023
Tashinga Initiative is taking on the Wildlife Ranger Challenge to raise awareness of the vital role our 12 rangers play in protecting Zimbabwe's Rifa Safari Area, and supporting an estimated 60 livelihoods.
Chirundu Task Force – Zimbabwe
My story
Rangers are Africa’s unsung heroes. They hold diverse roles as conservationists, teachers, community support workers, leaders and much more.
The Wildlife Ranger Challenge, organised by Tusk, is a celebration of solidarity, connection and camaraderie for the ranger profession. Culminating on 16th September 2023, the campaign raises vital funds for Africa's biodiversity guardians.
Rangers based in Tashinga Initiative - Rifa Safari Area (600 sq.km) operate under the Chirundu Antipoaching Project (CAPP) and form part of the patrol effort across the unique landscape that makes up the Zambezi Valley’s 12,820 sq km of wildlife protected areas.
Rangers protect territorial integrity, undertake biological monitoring, conservation management, community relations and manage equipment, resources and tourism. Rangers patrol in rugged and remote conditions, including boat patrols of approximately 70kms of the Zambezi River between Chirundu and the famous Kariba Dam Wall.
WRC Grants have addressed food security through the provision of monthly dry food hampers, the provision of ranger patrol kit, the maintenance of daily field-based and law enforcement operations, thus enhancing morale and efficacy. WRC 2023 will continue providing those monthly, all-important patrol food hampers, Rangers are operationalised with appropriate patrol kit that one Zambezi River patrol boat will continue being serviced, maintained, and fuelled. Vehicles patrolling across the 600 sq. km need fuel each month and of course, Rangers’ morale is strengthened through the provision of life insurance cover.
Give today and the Scheinberg Relief Fund will match every dollar donated, amplifying your impact. Join us in speaking up #ForWildlifeRangers
Best time in Mid-Zambezi Region and Wrapping up Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023!
Sep 28, 2023, 5:37:03 AMWe had the greatest time, with huge support from Murara Litter Project in Chirundu, and our ZimParks supporters and friends from Rifa and Chirundu, and we attained the fastest time for the 7 Zimparks Tashinga teams that participated in the Mid-Zambezi Region at 02:39:41! Next year we intend to do better than that! Thanks to everyone for fantastic support! Thanks to Natural Capital for the contribution towards the luncheon! Everyone enjoyed themselves at our Chirundu Task Force Base in celebration.
Backpack weigh-in for 22kg in preparation for the 21km marathon!
Sep 16, 2023, 6:44:56 AMThe day finally arrived - 15th September and the backpack weigh-in was successfully accomplished! 22kg has to be carried by each participating team member for the Wildlife Ranger Challenge 21km!
Great men, great Task Force
Sep 5, 2023, 8:33:20 PMWildlife Rangers keep our wildlife protected areas safe spaces for the future. Lets help keep these Rangers out there on patrol! Chirundu Task Force members, proud of what they do, and proud to be a part of Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023 Team Chirundu Task Force. You can support these men and their work at https://wildlife.rangerchallenge.org/.../tashinga-capp-2023 and help make the difference.
21km Time Trial done and dusted!
Aug 29, 2023, 6:33:18 AMThis remarkable team organised its schedule and transport system around the need to undertake a 21km time trial on Monday 28th August, with each team member carrying 22k, which had to be weighed and photographed beforehand. Brilliant execution of this time trial with good results, and with SITUP CHALLENGE around the corner and the big day coming up on 16th September! Based on this trial 4 members of the team will be selected for the actual marathon..
Preparations for the WRC Mini-Challenge SITUP!
Aug 20, 2023, 1:23:21 PMAt our most recent visit we were able to go through the proper format for the SITUP Challenge with Team Chirundu Task Force! And provide instruction and some physical exercise routines at base.
Wildlife and biodiversity protected in Rifa by WRC Team Chirundu Task Force
Aug 20, 2023, 11:14:06 AMChirundu Task Force patrols in Rifa a part of Hurungwe, and protects wildlife as well as maintaining the integrity of the area! The area abounds with magnificent trees that take your breath away! Please support this amazing unit of ZimParks Rangers.
Team Chirundu Task Force
Aug 8, 2023, 1:25:19 PMTake a look at the area that this Task Force patrols...
Team visits, kit and foodstuffs deliveries and PUSHUP CHALLENGE done!
Aug 8, 2023, 1:21:19 PMTeam Chirundu Task Force quietly and professionally get on with the work of patrolling some magnificent parts of the Zambezi Valley and keeping it safe. Their WRC banners flutter proudly at their base, and they continue the training as and when they can! Pushup Challenge was delivered with a high degree of excellence!
Team training and team kit deliveries by Tashinga Initiative
Jun 18, 2023, 2:30:55 PMTashinga Initiative has visited 5/6 of the ZimParks WRC Teams based in the Lower Zambezi Valley's protected areas. We handed over T-shirts, caps, backpacks and carried out an overview of our training programme which starts formally on 26th June. Chirundu Task Force are always training and were very up on the mark! We had a great time with two team members and vital supporters, whilst other team members were away on duties but we will meet them again soon. We were able to visit one of the team members out at his patrol base on the banks of the Zambezi River and update him as we had done at Chirundu. Specifically Trainer Neil brought attention to the 2023 WRC Sit Up and how it should be carried out.
River patrols as usual
May 30, 2023, 2:02:39 PMHi everyone, just to let you know that our training programme is underway, and inbetween our usual daily or 2-week patrol duties, we are starting to feel fitter each day. Here is a photo of one of our river patrols that we carry out and our team just before an early morning training session
Team Preparations underway!
May 17, 2023, 3:01:33 PMWildlife Ranger Challenge TEAM CAPP-RIFA has committed and training has commenced, having participated in Wildlife Ranger Challenge since 2020! Well done Team CAPP-RIFA in taking on the gruelling 21km marathon, in the extreme heat of the Zambezi Valley, whilst carrying 22kg backpacks! We want to support you all the way and see you reach your team and personal goals! We are fundraising for Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023 as well as to ensure each team member has boots to train in, running shorts, a backpack, T-shirts and a cap, and for RACE DAY on 16th SEPTEMBER that the team has banners, and a chance to celebrate their dedicated participation in Wildlife Ranger Challenge with a chicken and sadza lunch and cooldrink afterwards! Please support us!
Support a unique conservation initiative empowering and uniting wildlife rangers across Africa.
May 3, 2023, 2:54:10 PMWildlife rangers operate on the very frontline of conservation across Africa, routinely making personal sacrifices to put their lives on the line to protect the continent’s magnificent wildlife and habitats. Yet they are so much more than just law enforcement officers: rangers are teachers, community support workers, mediators, researchers and so much more. Unfortunately, resources are not keeping pace with the scale of the challenges they are trying to tackle. For the fourth year running, the Wildlife Ranger Challenge sets out to redress this, by raising critical funding to cover operating costs, including salaries and equipment, for over 10,000 rangers. This will help them protect threatened wildlife and some of the continent's most vulnerable areas, while also protecting communities and securing coexistence with wildlife, as well as providing for their own families.
