A new digital leap in conservation is taking shape in Zimbabwe as Wild Africa launches the Ndebele-language version of Wildlife Info, its AI-powered WhatsApp tool that delivers rapid, practical guidance for communities living in high-conflict wildlife zones. While the English version, launched in 2024, proved that technology can transform access to lifesaving information, the new rollout shifts the focus to inclusivity, ensuring that communities most affected by human-wildlife conflict can learn in the language they understand best.
In regions bordering national parks such as Hwange, Gonarezhou and Kavango Zambezi, human-wildlife conflict has become part of daily life. Elephants raid crops during droughts, predators like lions and hyenas target livestock, and erratic weather patterns worsen resource competition between people and animals. For many rural communities, the ability to receive clear, actionable advice in their own language can mean the difference between safety and tragedy, between a saved harvest and a season’s loss.
Wildlife Info directly responds to these challenges by offering instant, expert guidance via WhatsApp, a platform already widely used across rural Zimbabwe. Supported by Save the Elephants, Wildlife Conservation Action, ZimParks and the Elephant Crisis Fund, the tool delivers everything from safe behaviour tips to practical mitigation strategies, reporting channels, and visual learning material. A built-in quiz even gives users a chance to win mobile data, encouraging continued learning.
What makes the Ndebele rollout transformative is not simply translation, it is the shift in who truly benefits. For thousands of families in Matabeleland, language barriers have long made conservation messaging difficult to access. Now, with one message to +263 78 727 6366 or by scanning a QR code on campaign materials, users can interact with guidance that feels culturally and linguistically familiar.
Peter Knights OBE, CEO of Wild Africa, said the expansion reflects an intentional effort to reach those who need the tool most: “The success of the English rollout showed us how powerful this tool can be. Delivering it in Ndebele deepens its impact by breaking down communication barriers and putting life-saving knowledge into the hands of vulnerable communities.”
Dr Lucy King of Save the Elephants underscored that coexistence relies on collective understanding. “Elephants make challenging neighbours. When the knowledge is accessible—right there on your mobile phone—people are more empowered to live peacefully alongside them.”
The campaign is being amplified by well-known Ndebele-speaking ambassadors Sandra Ndebele and Mzoe 7, along with renewed English PSAs by Tariro Gezi, Rumbidzai Takawira and Moreangels Mbizah. Additional ambassadors, including Voltz, Samantha “MisRed” Musa, Hilton Mudariki and Butterphly, continue to promote the tool across TV, radio and social media.
Communities are already expressing how meaningful the change is. Tikobane Trust Director Ndlelende Ncube noted that the Ndebele version aligns directly with the day-to-day realities of people living near Hwange National Park: “Our members now have guidance they can fully understand and apply. With Starlink installed at our learning hub, free WiFi access means the tool is reaching even more people who previously struggled with language or connectivity barriers.”
For Wild Africa’s Zimbabwe Country Manager, Farai Chapoterera, the impact is clear during field visits: “Speaking to Zimbabweans in their own language strengthens trust and understanding. This translation has made it possible to support more people, more effectively.”
As climate pressures intensify and wildlife corridors shrink, initiatives like Wildlife Info highlight how digital innovation, paired with language inclusion, can play a decisive role in safeguarding both communities and the wildlife they live alongside.
