The Tashinga Initiative

What a boost for #WildlifeRangerChallenge Team Tashinga Initiative – Chewore South as WRC Rangers Tichaona Makanyire and Anthony Nyamandi collect produce from the Vegetable Garden at Mkanga Field Station. Funded by #zambezielephantfund, and with Gardener Dominic Mugondwe at the helm, this garden has been highly productive, despite this dry year’s more salty than usual water, a raid by a baboon and early high temperatures. 21st September is upon us for the #ForWildlifeRangers 21km challenge each carrying 22kg backpacks! Please support these Rangers to reach the finishing line at https://lnkd.in/dbsBU7QZ Photo credit: Dominic Mugondwe #ForWildlifeRangers #gamerangersassociationofafrica #zimparks #cheworesouth #wildlifeprotection #rangerpatrol #protectedareas #zambezivalley #halfmarathon #rangerkit #wildlife 

#JimGreenFootwear and #GameRangersAssociationofAfrica have for a few years been working in collaboration with #TheTashingaInitiative for the distribution of Jim Green AR8 Ranger Patrol boots for Wildlife Rangers in the Mid-Zambezi region of Zimbabwe. We drove to #Siakobvu in Nyaminyami District and met with RDC CEO Henry Varadeni and some of the RDC Antipoaching Unit. It was a wonderful occasion to be able to deliver Jim Green Boots to these Scouts working in the Sebungwe Region. We continued our journey through the rugged Mapongola Hills to the beautiful and amazing #MusangoIslandSafariCamp, and met with camp owners Wendy and Steve Edwards, as well as with Mark Brightman of #BumiHillsAntiPoachingUnit(BHAPU) Mark and Catherine travelled over from Bumi Hills by boat to meet us and receive the boots on behalf of BHAPU. Knowing that Rangers and Scouts are able to patrol in quality Jim Green boots is just the best thing! We are looking forward to receiving photos of the Boots deployed into the field! Read all about Jim Green Boots programme at: https://lnkd.in/dsmUWgpC #jimgreenfootwear #rangerpatrols #antipoachingscouts #musango #BumiHills #nyaminyami #sebungweconservation #wildlifeprotection

The Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2024 is here 🙌 From 15th July to 21st September, The Tashinga Initiative is sponsoring ZimParks Rangers as they push their limits in a series of intense challenges, all to protect the incredible wildlife of Zimbabwe’s Lower Zambezi Valley. On 21st September, it’s race day 🥾 Ten 4-man Ranger Teams will tackle a grueling 21km marathon, each carrying a 22kg backpack 🏋️ This challenge is not just a test of endurance—it’s a lifeline for conservation. Your support is crucial. Donate now to empower our rangers and help us safeguard some of the world’s most precious wildlife. Every contribution makes a difference 🙏 Click here to donate and sponsor our ZimParks teams: https://lnkd.in/eKtJykAR #ForWildlifeRangers #WildlifeRangerChallenge #TashingaInitiative #antipoaching Tusk

It's so inspiring to read this post from Andrew Pearce, currently fundraising for Save The Rhino International, especially poignant after his recent July visit with us at Tashinga Initiative Trust to the Zambezi Valley, where the stark absence of the once prolific Black Rhino, really hits hard! Please support his fundraising efforts! #savetherhinointernational #wildliferangers #blackrhino #savetherhino #rhinopopulations #zambezivalley #protectedareas #rangerpatrol #zambezivalley https://lnkd.in/duCbQHEd

Take a look at our newly launched Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2024 page on our website! https://lnkd.in/eKtJykAR The Rangers that make up our 10 WRC 24 teams work across the Protected Areas landscape of the Mid-Zambezi Region. Where they can, and usually within significant patrolling and other duties, these WRC Team members are sending in their STRAVA reports of practice runs, videos of exercise sessions showing great commitment to #ForWildlifeRangers. So well done to them all! #ForWildlifeRangers #gamerangersassociationofafrica #tusktrust #wildliferangerchallenge #wildlifeprotectedareas #zambezivalley #rangerpatrols #patrolequipment

EXCITED TO SUPPORT TASHINGA'S TEAMS? DONATE NOW! https://lnkd.in/e7gYyFpV RACE DAY - 21 SEPTEMBER 2024 We have launched our fundraising for WRC2024 in order to prepare 9 x ZimParks Mid-Zambezi Region 4-man Ranger Patrol Units!  This is our highest number of Ranger teams EVER that have volunteered to participate – very exciting to receive this level of commitment from Rangers already with full patrol schedules for the year.  We are so excited to have received donation commitments from new and repeat donors from 2023! These donations will go towards the purchase of new rugged backpacks, t-shirts, caps, training shorts and Bova boots for each Ranger who will be participating and needing to carry 22kg for the 21km Wildlife Ranger Challenge marathon! Please JOIN OUR EFFORTS! We really need further support to ensure that Rangers are equipped to participate, fulfil all the WRC2024 regulations and importantly, to inspire Rangers to fundraise for Rangers across Africa. Write to lynne@tashinga.org and phone +263 772348671 – we look forward to hearing from you. .#wildliferangerchallenge #tusk #tashingainitiative #cmsafaris #zimparks #wildliferangers #rangerpatrol #midzambezi #zambezivalley #footpatrols #protectedareas #wildlife

Re:Wild 501c3 have partnered with Tashinga Initiative since 2015, when we started fundraising with #ZambeziElephantFund to successfully establish a rapid response antipoaching base in the Zambezi Valley to cope with the then very high levels of elephant poaching for ivory. Re:Wild 501c3 also act as a fiscal sponsor to Tashinga Initiative Trust using QGiv donation platform, safe and easy. I've enjoyed this promotional video on their site https://lnkd.in/erY-NTbB! Please take a look - it's pertinent to our current work https://lnkd.in/eiUVAKJr. #rewild #tashingainitiative #zambezivalley #zambezielephantfund #zambezivalleyprotectedareas #wildlifeprotection #protectedareas #biodiversity #biodiverserich #rangers #wildliferangers #rangerpatrol #patrolequipment #enablingenvironment #solarpower

Wildlife Rangers who patrol the vast rugged and very beautiful Zambezi Valley Wildlife Protected Areas (which fall under the National Authority) depend on many different components that make up and support the effectiveness of the overall conservation effort. We at Tashinga Initiative focus on this aspect of wildlife conservation and absolutely depend on and always look forward to your donations to support our projects  www.tashinga.org/donate.    Rangers should always have appropriate accommodation, access to running water, solar energy and vitally, VHF and internet communications. They also should be appopriately equipped to head out on patrol for 10+-day patrols into the wildlife protected area where they will face significant dangers, big and small.  The bush is usually very thick, so that even Elephant or Buffalo cannot be seen at close range, and  Rangers can face armed poachers who are determined to complete their poaching mission, be it for bushmeat, for elephant ivory,  rhino horn, pangolin scales or body parts from a lion.   #wildlifeconservation# #zambezivalley #wildlifeprotection #protectedareas #protectingwildlife #rangers #wildliferangers #rangersupport #enablingenvironment #zimparks #tashingainitiativetrust #wildlifepoachers #patrolequipment #solarpower #water    

A long time ago in 2016 this signpost was erected on completion of the 10-building Zambezi Valley Ranger Reaction Unit (ZAVARU) Base co-funded by Zambezi Elephant Fund (ZEF) and The Tashinga Initiative (TI) and project implemented by Tashinga Initiative for ZimParks. It was a fantastic day, well remembered when Tashinga Initiative and ZimParks invited the Ranger Reaction Unit, living under the most trying conditions, fighting off mopane bees and the extreme heat in their pup-tents at Nyakasikana Gate to move into their new base in October 2016.  The urgent ZAVARU project was as a result of the findings of a vital ZimParks and stakeholder meeting held at Mana Pools National Park in March of 2015 in response to the massive poaching onslaught on elephant for their ivory.   A few weeks ago, here stands "Cutty" Catmore Gidion at the refurbished signpost funded by TI and ZEF once again and so many years later. The sign is situated on the side of the road en route to Nyakasikana Gate near the Rukomeshe River Bridge. Catmore leads the fantastic skilled and semi-skilled contract team, Luke, Shungu, Clainos, Persuade, Moses, “Giddy K” and “JCB”, and recently welcomed Josphat that still work with me for the implementation of Tashinga initiative's wildlife protection projects.  Catmore is passionate about the conservation of our wildlife, the most energetic, capable, skilled, positive and kind man, for whom no challenge or problem is too big to overcome!     Driving a 1996 landcruiser donated and maintained at the time by Conservation Zambezi UK, and which we still manage to keep on the road only as a result of vital donations for spare parts and servicing, Catmore manages heavy loads destined for remotely based project implementation, travelling through rough and wild terrain.  He and the team endure crazy temperatures en route, definitely with no aircon in sight, they camp amongst wildlife, and always, as true Zimbabweans, "make a plan" to overcome challenges, to bring relief to ZimParks Rangers daily lives, promoting their well-being, enhancing the enabling environment, all towards patrol efficacy to protect and conserve our Mid-Zambezi Region’s wildlife protected areas.     #ZimParks #wildlifeconservation #protectedareas #zambezielephantfund #tashingainitiative #rangerpatrols #antipoaching #philanthropy #enablingenvironment #projectimplementation #zambeziriver #zambezivalley #toyotalandcruiser #donate