When the Going gets Tough

When the going gets TOUGH, THE TOUGH, gets going

[WRITER: Besnart Manda ] [ PHOTO: Conservation South Luangwa ]

When COVID arrived in 2020, our main focus was to secure enough finances just to keep everything going, expanding was definitely not on our radar. In 2021 we knew we needed to increase our antipoaching support as signs of an increase in poaching started to develop. Our existing teams work so hard as it is, it is impossible to ask more of them.

So, in June this year we sent 28 trainees to undergo a three-month para-military training course at Nyamaluma. Out of these 28 community scouts that we sent for training, only 18 of them graduated in which six were women and 12 were men. All these have helped boost the anti-poaching teams considerably. Most of these scouts who graduated in August admitted that the training was very hard, they are all physically tough, but mental toughness and determination is what kept them going until the end.

Diana Banda, one of the female scouts, said that one thing that kept her going during the training was the morale that was there and the endurance spirit that all of them had. It gave her strength to work extra hard and do better.

“I am so glad that I was selected to be among those that graduated from this training because it shows how much effort we put in”, said Diana. Furthermore, a lot of these new scouts especially women, feel that things have now changed in their lives compared to the way they were before they were fully employed. At first, many of them used to depend on their parents to provide them with basic needs but now that they are employed life has become easier and simple.

“I really felt nice when I started working at CSL (Conservation South Luangwa) as a scout on all full-time basis because it gave me an opportunity of being independent and having much confidence within myself”, said Elizabeth one of the new recruits. The training has not only helped our scouts to become strong, but it has also helped them in building their confidence, self-esteem and courage, and has motivated them to become better people who would do anything to protect and save the wildlife of South Luangwa National Park.

It is inspiring to see the next generation of young, fit, and strong scouts who will look after South Luangwa.

[ A day to be proud, graduating as a newly qualified community scout ]

[ A new cohort of powerful women, new scouts – Martha Daka and Mary Mwandila ]