Emmerson Njanjamangezi, Group Features Editor 
VICTORIA Falls Anti-Poaching Unit (VFAPU) has received a major boost in its operations from African Sun (Afsun), which handed the unit US$21 000 to cater for the 16-member scouts’ full-year salaries and medical aid.
The Afsun’s one-year sponsorship comes as a major boost to VFAPU’s wildlife and natural resources conservation efforts.
The Victoria Falls’ teeming wildlife, as well as the natural resources and other extra mural activities, attract tourists to the resort town.
In a speech during the handover of the sponsorship kitty, Afsun’s head of marketing, PR and innovation Charleen Mtezo, said wildlife and natural resources have so far played a pivotal role in attracting tourists to the country to support the booming hospitality industry after the ruinous Covid-19 pandemic.
The big five
“As African Sun Limited, we also benefit from this natural beauty and bio-diversity and we seek to participate and contribute to its preservation and restoration. Surrounded by the Victoria Falls National Park, the town of Victoria Falls is located in one of the most beautiful environments.
“However, the beauty of the location comes with some heavy burden of human and animal conflict.
“The Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit tries to ease some of the burden by protecting the wildlife and habitat from poachers, as well as rescuing and rehabilitating injured animals.”
Additionally, Mtezo said VFAPU also trains ex-poachers in new skills so they find alternative avenues of revenue creation to give them a sustainable income without doing harm to the flora and fauna.
“It is against this background that … we saw it fit, for us to assist the VFAPU so that they are able to carry out the challenging tasks at hand.
“I wish to invite other corporates to join us to safeguard our precious environment and transform the lives of people in our communities.
“Lastly, I applaud those who are already on the ground doing the same,” she added.
Speaking at the same event, the VFAPU coordinator, Charles Brightman, lauded Afsun for the sponsorship.
“We started VFAPU in 1999 as a private sector initiative to champion and protect wildlife and natural resources against plunder from poachers.
“Since then, we have removed around 30 000 snares from the bush and rescued 500 animals from snares, and prevented painful death of animals from those snares. I want to urge other corporates to take a cue from Afsun and sponsor this noble cause,” he said.
Brightman said without the abundant game, the hospitality industry would not be able to attract thousands of tourists to the country.
“Almost 80 percent of this resort town relies heavily on wildlife to function. We need to protect game and the natural resources to continue with the hospitality business,” he said.
