Akashinga, Inc
Together We Thrive
Mission
Akashinga delivers resilient nature conservation programmes of global significance through community-driven partnerships.
Notes from the nonprofit
The Who and What of IAPF: We are backed financially by people just like you. Our conservation operations protect endangered wildlife and ecosystems every day. When: Founded in 2009 in Australia, IAPF was incorporated in the USA in 2013 and approved by the IRS as a nonprofit tax-exempt charity in 2014. Why: Illegal wildlife trafficking is one of the world’s largest criminal industries. Highly targeted species such as elephant and rhino are being hunted towards extinction. Where: Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Kenya. Ongoing operational outcomes: In addition to safeguarding wildlife, IAPF’s anti-poaching work empowers women, protects community assets, creates jobs, promotes training and education, and reduces habitat destruction. We could use your help too!
Ruling year
2014
Founder & CEO - Akashinga Global
Mr. Damien Mander
Main address
100 N 18th St Ste 300
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2778 USA
EIN
32-0408734
NTEE code
Natural Resource Conservation and Protection (C30)
Protection of Endangered Species (D31)
Victims' Services (P62)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Akashinga ("The Brave Ones") female anti-poaching unit
IAPF's Akashinga program is
Innovative: It's a new way of conducting conservation work. In an industry where men outnumber women on the frontlines by up to 100:1, a primary strategy of Akashinga is female empowerment. Professionally trained, fully qualified, and tough-as-nails: These disadvantaged women are given employment protecting the wildlife reserves in their own regions.
Along with protection for local ecosystems, this program benefits families and local economies…as community development and conservation are blended for the benefit of all species.
Effective: IAPF’s Akashinga program is a new, holistic, sustainable, and entirely scalable model for large area wildlife conservation. And it is working!
In just the first nine months of frontline operations in Zimbabwe, the first Akashinga team made over 56 arrests, shattering local ivory poaching syndicates and paving the way for the future of local families and nature.
Community-based: Akashinga works WITH rather than AGAINST local populations through:
• Training and employment offered to local people
• Facilitating full financial participation of local women
• Supporting community development projects.
These are sound investments reaping long-term benefits for these communities — and for the protection of their surrounding ecosystems.
LEADRanger: Empowering conservation leaders and trainers
We identified a need and the solution: The world keeps looking to expensive and sophisticated solutions for conservation challenges.
After years on the ground working with a wide variety of people and places: We've realized that most often, the difference between the success and failure of a program is one good indigenous commander leading their rangers on the frontlines. This true local leadership is the biggest gap in conservation.
Our LEADRanger program re-builds management skills in the conservation industry by taking existing (and potential) anti-poaching instructors and leaders, giving them additional skills, and sending them back to their home region and train others. One of the most important skills we give them is teaching others. This “Train the Trainer” program provides unique experiences and “tools” for conservation law enforcement entities to share across a growing number of countries. For example, we've already had 2 trainers share their specialized knowledge with hundreds of others...and it has been less than a year since they began LEADRangers themselves.
We have trained people currently protecting wildlife and wild places in a variety of countries, and in the roles of conservation rangers, law enforcement, nonprofit, and more.
Special Investigations (SI): "Hunting" for traffickers
Targeting trafficking kingpins: This less discussed program focuses on the wildlife supply chain in southern Africa rather than just the poachers on the ground. SI conducts cross-border wildlife crime information gathering with the intention of publishing or prosecuting crimes against wildlife and the key figures involved.
We can't share much about this, other than this program is active, effective, and making a difference from deep within the shadows of black-markets and wildlife trafficking networks.
Education & Outreach
Long-term solutions must involve the public, so IAPF gives presentations to schools, clubs, organizations, and many others. We help people to understand the issues we're working on, so they are better positioned to help protect nature themselves and with us.
Where we work
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of rhinos protected
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In southern Africa where IAPF has operated, up to 10,000 rhinos were protected from poaching by ruthless criminal networks. In June 2018, we handed this successful operation over to locals.
Number of anti-poaching rangers through the LEADRanger course
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
LEADRanger: Empowering conservation leaders and trainers
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Time- and energy-intensive, these highly customized training sessions focus on things like tracking, poaching forensics, field trauma, etc. Qualifying participants leave as trainers.
Number of LEADRanger participants attaining qualified Trainer status.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
LEADRanger: Empowering conservation leaders and trainers
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
These trainers have gone on to train more rangers in their home units, in multiple countries and parks, protecting uncountable species.
Poaching/trafficking arrests by Akashinga team (sometimes in cooperation with IAPF's SUI.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Akashinga ("The Brave Ones") female anti-poaching unit
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Founded in late 2017, these highly qualified female rangers patrol and work with local communities to catch poachers and eliminate wildlife trafficking and protect nature. Results always improving! :)
Conservation patrols: 2/3 regular, and 1/3 extended (3-5) day field patrols.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Akashinga ("The Brave Ones") female anti-poaching unit
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Program (and patrols) began in late 2017. Daily patrols are through villages and countryside, extended patrols go far into IAPF's patrol zone, approximately 230,000 acres.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planHow we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals, We have Community Liaisons who are constantly in touch with the community.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We keep the community informed.
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Akashinga, Inc
Board of directorsas of 09/30/2024
Damien Mander
International Anti-Poaching Foundation
Term: 2014 -
Damien Mander
Akashinga, Inc.
Ian Mackenzie-Ross
Akashinga, Inc.
Michelle Nevin
South Fork Foundation
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 05/10/2024GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
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