Growing up in a small village of Nyamakate in the Zambezi Valley in northern Zimbabwe, Margaret Darawanda was part of the first intake of Akashinga Rangers in 2017. After completing her training, she soon found her stride patrolling, collecting and keeping records, tracking and arresting poachers,and investigating and educating the people in the community about the importance of wildlife.

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As Deputy Head of Operations at Akashinga East Zimbabwe, Margaret oversees nearly 70 Akashinga Rangers helping to protect critical landscapes and animals. She manages their day-to-day duties and supports the operations team to successfully manage rangers on patrols, duty rosters, and data collection.

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A mother and a community leader, Margaret is proud to have become the breadwinner for her family, supporting her widowed mother, her daughter, and her four siblings, some of whom have families of their own.