The Foundation Reveals its Latest Developments, including ‘Give to Gains’ International Women’s Day 2026 Initiative
Great Plains Foundation, the charitable partner of award-winning conservation tourism organisation Great Plains, is proud to unveil the latest news and developments for its celebrated Female Ranger Programme in Botswana and Zimbabwe. Established by Great Plains founders and National Geographic filmmakers and Explorers-at-Large, Dereck and Beverly Joubert in 2022, the programme supports women to become guardians of Africa’s most important wildlife and landscapes through training and deployment as Wildlife Rangers— breaking barriers, becoming role models, and reshaping conservation.
Project Outline & Impact to Date
The Female Ranger Programme trains and deploys female rangers in ecologically significant areas in Botswana (Okavango Delta) and Zimbabwe (Sapi Reserve, Zambezi National Park), which are home to the respective Great Plains camps, Duba Explorers Camp, Okavango Explorers Camp, Duba Plains and Tembo Plains.
Women living in rural communities surrounding these protected areas face limited schooling options, narrow career prospects, and gender inequalities. However, if provided with the education, resources, and skill-building opportunities, these local Botswana and Zimbabwean women can become both the preeminent ambassadors for conservation in their local communities and leaders to young girls.
This project, under the leadership of Dereck and Beverly Joubert, provides formal capacity building, training, mentoring and the employment of female rangers in Botswana and Zimbabwe. Great Plains’ female ranger teams are responsible for natural resource monitoring and reporting across these areas.
The programme remains committed to supporting its rangers with a clear pathway to leadership – with two promotions from Biodiversity Ranger to Team Leader in 2025 – through the provision of advanced training courses and university partnerships. Meanwhile, fitness programmes and active mentoring build resilience and team cohesion.
Community conservation education was a core focus over the past year, with female rangers participating in Great Plains’ annual kids’ conservation camps and the community sports tournament ‘Conservation Goals’, where over 1000 spectators and youth participants from communities in the Okavango Delta engaged in conservation discussions.
In terms of conservation results, rangers successfully monitored wildlife populations, identified poaching risks, collected ecological data and responded to environmental threats across thousands of hectares. Additionally, the teams led aerial surveys, tracked predator movements, conducted soil sampling and supported species translocation and monitoring projects.
2026 will see a number of updates for the Great Plains Foundation’s Female Ranger Programme as it expands its reach and operational objectives, with a renewed mission to increase the number of women in its ranger teams across both countries.
The Great Plains Foundation’s Female Ranger Programme began in 2022 in Botswana with nearly 200 applications for the first intake of 6 trainees. As of the end of 2025, there were 17 Female Biodiversity Rangers in Botswana and 4 in Zimbabwe operating at the core of key conservation areas in each country – the Okavango Delta in Botswana and the Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe. By the end of this year, the programme aims to hire an additional 8 rangers in Botswana, and a further 6 in Zimbabwe, increasing its total number of rangers by over 66%.
For this year’s International Women’s Day on 8th March 2026, the programme has announced a theme of ‘Give to Gain’, which focuses on generosity and collaboration for gender equality, a core component of the Foundation’s mission to support and create women’s empowerment initiatives. The initiative seeks to raise funds for the hire and training of more rangers, with $15,000 covering the cost to hire, train and equip each female ranger, while covering her salary for one year.
The Female Ranger Programme is at a critical growth stage, and with further support will transform lives, uplift communities and ensure a more inclusive and sustainable future for conservation by:
- Expanding ranger teams and housing infrastructure
- Investing in advanced training and education
- Providing essential patrol and monitoring equipment
- Deepening community engagement and environmental education
Why Female Rangers?
Female rangers have proven more capable of de-escalating conflict, leading to more peaceable relationships with local populations. Female rangers have shown great commitment — loyal to protecting land and animals, akin to protecting their own children. As women tend to be more socially connected within their villages, female rangers may also receive more tips on poaching and illegal wildlife-oriented activities.
For women living in communities that border protected areas, becoming a wildlife monitor is a unique opportunity to develop a specialised skillset and create economic autonomy, contributing significantly to gender equity. Eventually, Great Plains envision this project growing into a Wildlife and Environmental Field Skills based certificate from a training institute in Botswana and Zimbabwe for women who, otherwise, may never have had a chance at further education. Great Plains also aims to amplify female citizens by providing female rangers with a platform on which to share their unique stories and educate others working in conservation, including Great Plains’ own team, who live apart from their cultural experience.
Successful applicants to the programme undertake a ten-month training programme, qualifying in computer literacy, nature wilderness training, vehicle maintenance, first aid Level One, science-based monitoring field skills, bush craft, boat driving and maintenance, 4×4 driving, conservation-based report writing, management training and much more.
The female rangers operate patrol vehicles and various monitoring equipment, as well as wildlife crime activity. In patrols, female rangers note ecology fluctuations, conduct animal data mapping, and observe movement patterns – all valuable tools vital in conserving the unique ecological community.
Rangers form close partnerships with government law enforcement teams in Botswana and Zimbabwe, which maximizes information sharing with the national wildlife protection structures and ensures the safety of unarmed rangers.
The long-term conservation impact of this project is equally powerful; pioneering the precedent for female rangers will ultimately enable the type of community buy-in necessary to preserve Africa’s most defining plant and animal species and directly contribute to Great Plains’ mission of advancing knowledge and protecting the wonders of the world.
Meet the Rangers
Ms Othusang Saendo, Wildlife Ranger, Botswana
Ms Othusang Saendo was inspired to become a ranger by her upbringing in a rural community where nature provided for most basic needs. This deep connection motivated her to pursue a career in conservation, with a strong desire to protect natural resources for future generations. In her role as a ranger, she is actively involved in patrolling and monitoring natural resources, with responsibilities that include leading patrols, boat driving, photography, report writing, and first aid.
Ms Saendo takes pride in engaging closely with communities, using her position as a female ranger to educate and inspire others – especially women and girls – to take an active role in environmental stewardship. Through her work, she has developed strong leadership skills, confidence, resilience, and a clear sense of purpose, and she continues to encourage young women to pursue conservation with passion, determination, and the courage to dream big.
Ms Rachel Sibanda, Biodiversity Ranger, Zimbabwe.
Ms Rachel Sibanda’s journey into conservation began with a passion for tourism and hospitality, which led her to study at Mushandike College (now ZIWC) in Masvingo. It was there that she discovered wildlife conservation after being inspired by female rangers confidently carrying out their duties. This pivotal moment led her to pursue wildlife and management studies, and in 2022 she joined the Great Plains Foundation as a biodiversity ranger.
As a female ranger in a traditionally male-dominated field, Ms Sibanda has embraced the challenge of breaking barriers through resilience, hard work, and commitment. She plays an active role in wildlife protection while engaging closely with communities living near protected areas. Through school outreach, kids’ camps, and awareness programmes, she educates young people about conservation, human–wildlife coexistence, and sustainability.
Ms Sibanda strongly believes in the impact of women in conservation, feeling strongly that female rangers bring empathy, persistence, and strong community engagement skills. Through her work, she has developed resilience, leadership capacity, and a clear sense of purpose, and she envisions a more inclusive future where women play a greater role in shaping conservation and protecting natural heritage.
Ms Olivia F Marimara, Biodiversity Monitor, Zimbabwe
Ms Olivia F Marimira is a Biodiversity Monitor for Great Plains’ Female Ranger Programme in Zimbabwe. Her work focuses on conservation, sustainability, and the connection between communities and natural resources. Her research explores how sustainable technologies can improve community livelihoods while strengthening conservation efforts, particularly within protected areas.
Her passion for conservation was shaped by an early curiosity about nature and a formative school trip to Hwange National Park, where a visit to the Painted Dog Conservation Organisation sparked her concern for wildlife conservation and human–wildlife coexistence. This experience guided her toward a career dedicated to environmental protection and sustainable livelihoods.
Ms Marimira – who is also a keen wildlife photographer in her spare time – is motivated by field research and discovery, particularly studying how ecosystems adapt to climate change and translating these insights into practical solutions. Looking ahead, she aims to complete a Master of Science in Sustainable Technology and Livelihoods and to develop long-term, community-driven initiatives that create meaningful and lasting change for both people and the environment.