Akashinga Rangers were the subject of a segment on ZDF's Volle Kanne, one of Germany's most-watched daytime programmes, which aired on 8 September 2026 following a visit to our teams in the Zambezi Valley.

The piece follows Petronella Chigumbura, Deputy Head of Operations at Phundundu in Zimbabwe and a mother of three, who joined Akashinga after being told, like many of her colleagues, that this kind of work "was only for men." Today she patrols the Zambezi Valley, one of Zimbabwe's most significant wildlife ecosystems on the border with Zambia, where poaching pressure remains high, particularly after harvest season when income is scarce for many rural families.

The segment also features local community member Agnes Matiki, who described how the rangers' presence has changed daily life in communities near the protected habitat, and Bastiaan Boon, Akashinga's Director of Operations, on the wider impact of women's leadership in conservation on local economies.

An English translation of the segment is available on request. The original German broadcast is available to view on ZDF's website until 8 September 2028, with the Akashinga segment starting at 41:27: Watch Now

Rangers like Petronella patrol some of Zimbabwe's most vital ecosystems every day, often walking for hours through remote terrain to protect wildlife and support their communities. You can help fund their work by donating at akashinga.org/donate.
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Photo: Petronella Chigumbura on patrol near the Zambezi River.

‍Photo Credit: Adrian Steirn