Tashinga Initiative - Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023
Tashinga Initiative is taking on the Wildlife Ranger Challenge to raise awareness of the vital role our 24 rangers play in protecting Zimbabwe's Dande Safari Area, and supporting an estimated 120 livelihoods.
Dande-Mibire – Zimbabwe
My story
Rangers are Africa’s unsung heroes. They hold diverse roles as conservationists, teachers, community support workers, leaders and much more.
Rangers based in Dande Safari Area (523 sq. km), 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. Tashinga Initiative - Dande-Mbire Rangers protect territorial integrity, undertake biological monitoring, conservation management, community relations and manage equipment, resources and tourism. Rangers patrol in rugged and remote conditions, along the Mozambican and Zambian international borders.
WRC Grants have significantly supported a total of 245 ZimParks Rangers. The grants addressed food security through the provision of monthly dry food hampers, the provision of ranger patrol kit such as backpacks and boots, the maintenance of daily field-based and law enforcement operations, thus enhancing morale and efficacy.
For WRC 2023, your support to the Dande ZimParks Rangers could be far-reaching: to continue providing those monthly, all-important patrol food hampers, that Rangers are operationalised with appropriate and essential patrol kit, vehicle patrols through Dande, plus the communal land north and south of Dande, 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
Wrap up of Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023 and 21km carrying 22kg backpacks done!
Sep 28, 2023, 5:59:27 AMWe are so proud to have taken part in WRC 2023 and had a great time on our chosen course, with a lot of support from our local friends, and from Zimparks especially. Our time for the 21km carrying 22kg was 02:53:52. Our Regional Manager Mr Chimeramombe and his team were present for the day - great excitement to have their support on the occasion and we were very proud to stand with Regional Manager with the WRC banners. We had a great luncheon afterwards to complete the celebrations of the day!
WRC 23 2-MIN SITUP CHALLENGE COMPLETED!
Sep 4, 2023, 3:34:04 PMThis team continues its high standard of training application and delivery! Today delivered on the mini challenge with really cool results and especially from the only female team member! Super chuffed to get hers and her team members' really good results!
21km time trial completed!
Sep 1, 2023, 9:27:59 AMSo fantastic, especially after considerable national commitments recently, this team undertook its 21km time trial today, showing as always the determined spirit which dominates this team! Super effort guys and holding thumbs for you on the big day on the 16th!
Training and training....road runs
Aug 19, 2023, 3:54:15 PMTeam Dande-Mbire, also with the only female present in all the teams across Mid-Zambezi, are determined and focussed and are making the time between hectic patrol schedules to keep at it!
Seasons are advancing, preparations underway for the Marathon Day!
Aug 8, 2023, 11:40:52 AMThe temperatures start increasing rapidly through August into September and by the time WRC 2023 21km marathon arrives it is usually very hot indeed! Preparations are underway by Tashinga Initiative to support each of the teams through the Mid-Zambezi Region to ensure that each team has exactly what it needs in order to undertake the marathon. We ensure that each of the 7 teams receives water for the marathon run, and foodstuffs for a post-marathon luncheon for the team and supporters - the small spoiling after all the effort!!
Ongoing visits to remotely based teams, and WRC PUSHUP CHALLENGE completed
Aug 8, 2023, 11:26:25 AMTeam Dande-Mbire have rigidly stuck to their training programme and the results are there to see! Team Dande Mbire have delivered super results for Pushup Challenge, all videos received, counts provided, counts have been checked and verified. So glad that Area Manager Mawurukira provides the fantastic support to this very busy team, although still full-time at their ZimParks duties!
Team training and team kit deliveries by Tashinga Initiative
Jun 18, 2023, 3:45:10 PMTashinga Initiative visited 5/6 ZimParks Lower Zambezi WRC Teams, and had a great reception at Mushumbi Pools, the Field HQ base by WRC 23 Dande-Mbire-Team. We delivered t-shirts, caps, backpacks and provided a training session in preparation for the start-up of our 2023 Formal training programme on 26th June. Trainer Neil focussed on the format for WRC 23 Situps with all team members. It was great that the team had been able to set aside the time from their regular patrol duties to focus on WRC 2023!
Team Preparations underway!
May 17, 2023, 2:14:58 PMWildlife Ranger Challenge TEAM DANDE-MBIRE has committed to Widllife Ranger Challenge 2023 and forms part of the ZimParks Lower Zambezi Valley WRC teams! Well done Team DANDE-MBIRE in taking on and committing to 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 to ensure each DANDE-MBIRE 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 effort 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, 2:27:40 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.
