What Akashinga does

Akashinga, operated by the International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF), is a non-profit conservation organization founded in 2009 that pioneered the first all-female anti-poaching ranger unit in Zimbabwe's Lower Zambezi in 2017. The organization has since expanded to four countries — Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, and Namibia — protecting 13.1 million acres of wilderness through women-led ranger teams recruited from local communities. Its core product, the Akashinga Ranger Programme, deploys military-style-trained women rangers in law-enforcement, patrol, and community-engagement roles; this is supported by the internationally certified LEAD Ranger training program, EarthRanger and Skylight AI monitoring integrations in Mozambique, biodiversity and vegetation survey programs, human-wildlife conflict resolution services, and community development initiatives including boreholes, healthcare, education, and alternative livelihood projects.

The underlying model is community-driven: 98% of staff are recruited locally, 95% live near areas of operation, 63% of the global team are women, and 62% of operational costs flow directly back into communities with 80% reaching ranger households. Reported outcomes include a 90% reduction in elephant poaching in Zimbabwe's mid-to-lower Zambezi Valley, a 400% increase in wildlife populations in protected reserves, 371 arrests and 29 pangolins recovered in Zimbabwe in 2024, and 150% wildlife sighting increases year-over-year.

Akashinga generates revenue as a 501(c)(3) non-profit through individual donations, foundation and corporate grants (notably $700K from the Judith Neilson Foundation in 2021 and a $10M matching gift from an anonymous donor over 2022–2023), and high-impact-giving partnerships. A single donor covers 100% of overhead costs, channeling all other donations to mission activities. Distribution is via the akashinga.org donation portal (with separate US and non-US flows), third-party platforms, and direct foundation engagement, supported by global earned media features in BBC, National Geographic, PBS, TEDx, and 60 Minutes. The organization is not commercially sellable and has no venture capital or private equity ownership.

Name

Akashinga

Legal name

International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF) / Akashinga USA

Website

https://akashinga.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Akashinga (International Anti-Poaching Foundation) is a non-profit conservation organization deploying all-female anti-poaching ranger teams across Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, and Namibia to protect 13.1 million acres of wilderness while channeling operational costs back to local communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Anti-poaching ranger programs
• Community-led conservation
• Biodiversity protection services
• Habitat preservation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Harare

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Akashinga operates as a non-profit conservation organization funded primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate donors. The organization has received significant match gifts and major donor support.
2. Grants and Matched Funding: Major grants from foundations such as Judith Neilson Foundation (US$700,000) and anonymous donors providing $10 million match gifts for fundraising campaigns.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Akashinga recruits, trains, and deploys all-female anti-poaching ranger teams across protected wilderness areas in Southern Africa (Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia) to protect wildlife and habitats from poaching. The program runs alongside the LEAD Ranger Training Programme, which certifies instructors and adjacent African rangers, and is supported by biodiversity monitoring, human-wildlife conflict resolution, and community development services that flow benefits back to neighboring communities.

Product overview

Akashinga is a women-led, community-driven conservation organization operating across Southern and East Africa. The core offering is the Akashinga Ranger Programme, an all-female anti-poaching force that protects wilderness landscapes while empowering local women. This is supported by the LEAD Ranger Programme for instructor development, EarthRanger operations technology for monitoring, biodiversity monitoring services, and community development programs including clean water, healthcare, and education initiatives. The model channels operational costs back into local communities (62% flows directly back), creating nature-based economies while achieving conservation outcomes including 90% reduction in elephant poaching and protection of 13+ million acres.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Akashinga Ranger Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% reduction in elephant poaching in Zimbabwe's mid-to-lower Zambezi Valley
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Global Deal for Nature (GDN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Akashinga signed MOU as key implementation partner. GDN targets 30% of Earth to be formally protected and an additional 20% designated as climate stabilization areas by 2030.
• Kalahari Research and Conservation (KRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to protect 5 million acres bordering Botswana's Greater Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Akashinga's holistic approach fosters coexistence between people and nature, providing key job opportunities, promoting gender equality and supporting local schools and education.
• Conserve GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to expand Akashinga into Namibia's Kunene Highlands (2.5 million acres) for biodiversity protection and ecosystem resilience to climate change.
• MellivoracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganisation specialising in ranger development programmes. Delivered six-week training courses covering Park Planning and Management, Patrol Leadership and Operations, and Firearms Training across Songo and Phundundu Reserves in Zimbabwe.
• LEAD Ranger Programme (Thin Green Line Foundation and Ranger Campus)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternationally certified programme that empowers next generation of conservation leaders through tailored training, long-term support and mentoring to develop wildlife crime-enforcement leaders and instructors.
• Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body responsible for wildlife management. Akashinga Rangers work alongside ZimParks staff and participate in national events such as World Wildlife Day commemorations.
• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation stakeholder participating in national conservation events and knowledge exchange alongside Akashinga.
• MoveMe Abundant VillagesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in Nyamakate borehole project with solar setup to ensure steady water supply to clinic and surrounding community.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• African Parks: Manages protected areas across Africa under long-term public-private partnerships with government agencies. Highly comparable to Akashinga's model of partnering with ZimParks and counterparts to manage reserves, train rangers, and protect biodiversity at scale.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Pan-African conservation organization working with governments and communities across the continent. Comparable scope (Africa-focused), constituency (rural communities + government partners), and biodiversity outcomes, though not ranger-operated.
• Peace Parks Foundation: Facilitates transfrontier conservation areas across southern Africa, including partnerships overlapping Akashinga's Botswana (Kgalagadi) and Mozambique footprints. Directly comparable mission of landscape-scale protected area management through cross-border partnerships.
• Black Mambas Anti-Poaching Unit: All-female anti-poaching team operating in South Africa's Greater Kruger region. The most direct peer — women-led ranger model, community-driven, and focused on anti-poaching patrols in southern Africa.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO focused on biodiversity hotspots, protected area management, and nature-based solutions. Operates at significantly larger scale and across many geographies, overlapping with Akashinga on landscape protection and the 30x30 agenda.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: One of the largest global wildlife conservation organizations operating field programmes across multiple continents, including Africa. Comparable anti-poaching and habitat protection work but at much larger scale and across a broader species/geography portfolio.
• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF): Global conservation incumbent with operations across Africa and active anti-poaching and species-protection programmes. Akashinga is explicitly listed as a partner alongside WWF at national conservation events in Zimbabwe.

Others

• Thin Green Line Foundation: Provides equipment and training support to rangers globally, including co-delivering Akashinga's LEAD Ranger Programme. Strong adjacent ecosystem player in ranger capacity-building.

Emerging players

• Save the Rhino International: Specializes in rhino conservation with significant funding for anti-poaching ranger programmes in southern Africa. Comparable target species, ranger training focus, and donor base overlap.
• Panthera: Wildcat conservation organization that funds and operates ranger and anti-poaching programmes across Africa and beyond. Comparable niche in wildlife protection with field operations and partner funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/weareakashinga
• Facebookfacebook.com/weareakashinga
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weareakashinga

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Akashinga