Transform a Poacher - Costs a flat $700, will save 23 wild animals annually

An important part of our COMACO enterprise is to help poachers adopt alternative ways of making a living other than poaching. This program is growing rapidly and is literally saving 1000s of wild animals annually. Candidates are first required to surrender their firearms and attend a 6 week course in alternative trade skills, like carpentry, bee-keeping, poultry husbandry and metal works. When they return home, they are required to identify 2 or 3 other hunters as part of a group they will lead to apply their newly acquired skills. As COMACO staff verifies that these requirements are met, the group then receives a start-up investment of tools and inputs to start their new way of life centered on legal markets COMACO will help to support. In 2 to 4 years, transformed poachers in most cases will be earning more legal income than they were as poachers. Only about 6% of the participants drop out and return to poaching. It has proven to be a highly cost-effective way to reduce the threat of poaching in Zambia and your support could make a huge difference in expanding this program to other parts of Zambia.

Unlike conventional law enforcement, which costs between $2500 to $3500 to arrest and put behind prison bars a single poacher, the COMACO transformation approach costs only $700 per poacher. Costs include an 8 week training in alternative livelihood skills, tools and other inputs, and initial monitoring and technical support. Your donation to transform a poacher can help save an estimated 23 animals per year, which the average number of animals poachers hunt illegally per year in Zambia.

Your donation will be tracked by our staff to ensure you receive a photograph of the person you supported. Details for contacting this person can also be provided should you wish to. Our staff will make up to three visits annually to ensure compliance of non-poaching and to assess progress in adopting alternative livelihoods. We would like to expand this important program cross Zambia's threatened wildlife areas, making it part of the mainstream approaches to managing and protecting wildlife in Zambia. Your support will be critical for this program to succeed. Click here to help us with a donation