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Damien Mander has lived an extraordinary life for 37 years old. At 19, as a garbage collector in Melbourne, he joined the Australian Defence Force, graduating through one of the military’s most arduous courses as a Clearance Diver. Following the September 11 attacks, he went on to become a Special Operations Sniper in an elite […]
Damien Mander has lived an extraordinary life for 37 years old. At 19, as a garbage collector in Melbourne, he joined the Australian Defence Force, graduating through one of the military’s most arduous courses as a Clearance Diver.
Following the September 11 attacks, he went on to become a Special Operations Sniper in an elite counter terrorism unit.
Later becoming a mercenary, he deployed to Iraq where, amongst other roles, Damien Mander Project Managed the Iraq Special Police Training Academy overseeing paramilitary training and deployment of troops.
Following three years of service in Iraq, he left the front lines with no direction in his life.
Akashinga has transformed a traditionally adversarial approach to conservation into an innovative, empowering, and gender-diverse model to protect wildlife and habitats.
Fortress conservation worked well, but ultimately, is not sustainable. In 2017, Damien Mander recruited the initial team of 16 female rangers in the Lower Zambezi valley of Zimbabwe. These women became the first Akashinga Rangers (The Brave Ones in the Shona language). They embarked on a mission to safeguard Zimbabwe’s wildlife from the devastating impact of poaching. This marked the beginning of the organization’s collaborative approach, working directly with local communities to tackle the challenges of illegal wildlife trade and environmental degradation. Finally, instead of looking in, Akashinga was on the inside looking out, and sustainable and measurable change began to happen.
Akashinga has since revolutionized conservation efforts in Africa through an innovative, gender-diverse approach. From its humble beginnings, the Akashinga’s innovative strategies, community engagement, and commitment to training and empowering local individuals have propelled its growth. Today, the organization continues to expand its reach across multiple countries, forging a legacy of sustainable, female-led conservation that originated with those 16 dedicated rangers.
The impact of our female-led conservation efforts reverberates throughout the community, igniting a cascade of positive impacts. From nurturing children’s education to bolstering healthcare, eradicating poverty, and boosting life expectancy, these ripple effects leave a lasting legacy.
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