Tashinga Initiative (DAPU) - Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023
Tashinga Initiative is taking on the Wildlife Ranger Challenge to raise awareness of the vital role our 25 rangers play in protecting Zimbabwe's Dande Safari Area, and supporting an estimated 125 livelihoods.
DAPU - Dande AntiPoaching Unit – 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 that form the Tashinga Initiative - DAPU - Dande AntiPoaching Unit based in Dande Safari Area (523 sq. km) and its adjacent Mbire concessions, 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, along the Mozambican and Zambian international borders.
WRC Grants have significantly supported a total of 245 ZimParks Rangers. Those resultant WRC 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 law enforcement operations, thus enhancing morale and efficacy.
For WRC 2023, WRC support to DAPU Rangers could be far-reaching: to provide monthly, all-important patrol food hampers, so that Rangers are operationalised with appropriate and essential patrol kit, plus support for the vehicle patrols which need fuel each month. Rangers’ morale is significantly 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
Activity Totals
21.00 km coveredWildlife Ranger Challenge 21km carrying 22kg backpacks done!!
Sep 28, 2023, 10:39:46 AMWe had the most amazing marathon time, supported by CM Safaris Brad and Kerry, and Tashinga Initiative and we started our marathon very early in the morning - you can find some of the footage on www.facebook.com/www.tashinga.org and at instagram.com/tashingainitiative. Finding suitable internet to get the digital files to the organisers was a big issue, but we succeeded in the end with our time of 03: 08:04.
21km time trial just completed!
Aug 29, 2023, 11:59:48 AMWow Team DAPU did their first 21km time trial, with success and many congrats to them for having this under their belts! Here they are, at the end of the route, tough, dedicated and determined to complete Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023!
Towards SITUP CHALLENGE and 16th September Marathon!
Aug 23, 2023, 6:47:20 AMGreat to have had this photo of two DAPU team members, undertaking their training at base Pedza Pasi, tucked away on the Zimbabwean-Mocambique border. Prep for Situp Challenge is underway, with the group whatsapp plugged full of WRC instructions and videos to provide support.
Ongoing visits, team deliveries, and PUISHUP CHALLENGE completed!
Aug 8, 2023, 12:35:12 PMDAPU Team members have been flat out on their patrol and antipoaching duties throughout the ongoing training period, have stuck to their training schedule and were excellently prepared for PUSHUP CHALLENGE! The team moved to Karunga in the east Dande on the Mozambique border, and undertook the mini challenge there, supported by Camp Management team Kerry and Brad. The WRC banners were flown and each team member undertook the Pushup Challenge - team score was 144!
Team training and team kit deliveries by Tashinga Initiative
Jun 18, 2023, 3:07:22 PMTashinga Initiative has just visited 5/6 WRC Teams based in the Zambezi Valley's protected areas delivering t-shirts, caps, backpacks and providing training and guidance for our formal training programme which starts on 26th June. We were thrilled to meet up with all the members of DAPU, and had a thorough session with this enthusiastic team! Thanks for making such precious time available for our visit! Trainer Neil also focussed on the 2023 WRC Situp format for the Challenge this year.
Team Preparations underway!
May 17, 2023, 10:01:18 AMWildlife Ranger Challenge TEAM DAPU (working in Dande and Mbire) has committed to Widllife Ranger Challenge 2023 and form part of the ZimParks Lower Zambezi Valley WRC teams! Well done Team DAPU 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 DAPU 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 15, 2023, 10:32:34 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. Photo Credit: Marcus Westberg
