INTERNATIONAL ANTI-POACHING FOUNDATION INC
Programs
Program 1 [2020]
AKASHINGA'S BEGINNINGS: 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, THE SEX TRADE, 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. THAT GROUP COMPLETED BASIC(RANGER) TRAINING IN OCTOBER 2017 AND MADE 24 ARRESTS BEFORE THE END OF THAT YEAR.FIRST YEAR: 2018 WAS AKASHINGA'S FIRST FULL YEAR OF OPERATION, AND OUR TEAM OF ALL-FEMALE RANGERS EFFECTIVELY PROTECTED 230,000 ACRES OF AFRICAN WILDERNESS BY CONDUCTING MANY HUNDREDS OF FOOT AND VEHICLE FIELD PATROLS (ABOUT 1/3 OF THEM EXTENDED 3-5+ DAYS) TO DEFEND THREATENED SPECIES. THEY ALSO COMPLETED 960 COMMUNITY PATROLS TO GATHER TIPS ABOUT POACHING AND TRAFFICKERS FROM LOCALS (MAKING THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN) AND EXECUTED 110 ARRESTS LEADING TO MORE THAN 45 YEARS OF JAIL TIME FOR POACHERS AND PARTS TRAFFICKERS. ARRESTS ARE USUALLY EXECUTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE NATIONAL POLICE AGENCIES.2020: SINCE THEN, AKASHINGA HAS CONTINUED TO EXPAND OUR CONSERVATION AREAS AND RANGER STAFF AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. BY THE END OF 2020, IAPF'S AKASHINGA PROGRAM WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PATROLING AND PROTECTING AN AREA NEARLY 5-TIMES LARGER THAN THE ORIGINAL. WITH A TOTAL OF 80 RANGERS TRAINED AND ACTIVE BY THE END OF 2020 - AND ANOTHER 50 DUE TO COMPLETE TRAINING IN EARLY 2021 - AKASHINGA WAS PROTECTING AN AREA LARGER THAN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, AND SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER THAN THE COUNTRY OF LUXEMBOURG. SPECIFICALLY: IAPF IS CURRENTLY PROTECTING 14 MOSTLY-CONNECTED AREAS OF WILDLIFE HABITAT COVERING 2,871 SQUARE MILES (1,141,626 ACRES) OF THE LOWER ZAMBEZI VALLEY IN ZIMBABWE. OUR PATROL AND ARREST NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED PROPORTIONALLY.2020 ALSO SAW COMPLETION OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF PERMANENT RANGER ACCOMODATIONS AND TRAINING FACILITES, ALONG WITH BUILDINGS FOR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, SOLAR POWER RESOURCES, AND WATER SYSTEMS FOR OUR PRIMARY AKASHINGA BASECAMP. DUE TO OUR GROWTH, WE ALSO BEGAN ESTABLISHING SEVERAL NEW SATELLITE CAMPS TO EFFECTIVELY FACILITATE OUR INCREASED FIELD OPERATIONS.BENEFITS FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY INCLUDE MANY JOBS AND HOUSEHOLDS WITH GOOD WAGES AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE DIRECTLY BENEFITTING FROM AKASHINGA - INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 150 SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN. OUR RANGERS ALSO GET HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, LEARN TO DRIVE (NOT A GIVEN FOR ANYONE, ESPECIALLY WOMEN, IN ZIMBABWE), AND SOME OF THEM ARE BUYING HOUSES! WE ARE EMPOWERING WOMEN, STABILIZING COMMUNITIES, AND GROWING NETWORKS OF CARING PEOPLE WHILE ACCOMPLISHING OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: THE PROTECTION OF NATURE. WHILE SUCH STATEMENTS OFFER A WARM FEELING, WE HAVE PERFORMANCE METRICS PROVING THAT OUR PRIDE IN OUR TEAMS IS JUSTIFIED. THERE ISN'T ROOM TO LIST ALL OF THEM, BUT WE'VE REDUCED ELEPHANT POACHING IN OUR PATROL AREAS BY 85% SINCE AKASHINGA BEGAN. LOCAL POLICE ALSO REPORT A >60% DECREASE IN RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN AREAS WHERE AKASHINGA PARTOLS; AN UNINTENDED BUT WONDERUL RESULT. MORE DETAILS ON OUR WEBSITE: IAPF.ORG.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$1.9MProgram 2 [2020]
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: WHILE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON FIELD WORK AND ON-THE-GROUND RESULTS, WE ALSO SEEK TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANT ISSUES OF CONSERVATION AND WILDLIFE PROTECTION - BECAUSE PUBLIC OPINION AND PRESSURE WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN BRINGINGAN END TO POACHING. THE UNIQUENESS AND SUCCESS OF AKASHINGA GENERATES EMPATHY AND VAST MEDIA INTEREST. IN 2020, WE WERE FEATURED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF PRINT AND ELECTRONIC OUTLETS AROUND THE GLOBE, BUT PERHAPS THE MOST EXCITING MEDIA COVERAGE IAPF GARNERED WAS FOCUSED ON AKASHINGA, AS THREE-TIME ACADEMY AWARD WINNER JAMES CAMERON EXECUTIVE PRODUCED "AKASHINGA: THE BRAVE ONES", A WILDLIFE CONSERVATION DOCUMENTARY CELEBRATING THE IMPACT THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS ON PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES, WILDLIFE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IAPF AND TO SEE THE FILM, PLEASE VISIT IAPF.ORG.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$136.2KProgram 3 [2020]
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 AND INTELLIGENCE GATHERING; TACTICAL PURSUIT OPERATIONS; EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND TACTICAL FIELD CARE; COMMAND AND CONTROL; LAW ENFORCEMENT DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS; AND MORE. 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 OF 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.SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT (SIU): A LESS-DISCUSSED PROGRAM, THIS WORK FOCUSES ON THE WILDLIFE (SMUGGLING) SUPPLY CHAIN ACROSS SOUTHERN AFRICA RATHER THAN POACHERS ON THE GROUND. SIU CONDUCTS CROSS-BORDER WILDLIFE CRIME INFORMATION GATHERING WITH THE INTENT OF PROSECUTING CRIMES AGAINST KEY FIGURES. DUE TO THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF THIS PROGRAM WE DON'T SHARE DETAILS, BUT WE CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS INTO SOME OF THE HIGHEST LEVEL "PEOPLE OF INTEREST" IN THE POACHING AND ILLEGAL ANIMAL/PARTS TRAFFICKING SYNDICATES. WE THEN DISCRETELY SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH PEOPLE IN POSITIONS TO MAKE SEEMINGLY UNCONNECTED ARRESTS. SUI'S UNSUNG HEROES CONDUCTING THIS WORK ARE LITERALLY RISKING THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$131.2K
Copyright 2026. All rights reserved to Chario Inc. (d.b.a. Impala)