One of the greatest perks of being involved with Zambesia Conservation Alliance is the daily interaction with inspirational conservation champions, each taking the fight forward in their own way. Bright young minds with new ideas, fresh energy and a committed positive outlook will be the ones who steer us through the next generation, by all accounts, the most critical phase the planet has to transition through. Young minds combined with an older generation, those with decades of experience, successes and failures, that have provided the platform of knowledge and understanding that cannot be learnt from a book.
Ever Chinoda is leading the way, changing the conservation world from a legal perspective. Its all very well to apprehend wildlife criminals, but if paltry fines and penalties are the worst they have to endure, this is going to be a never ending vicious cycle.
Ever obtained her Batcher of Law Honours at the University of Zimbabwe in 2010, and continued on to finish her Masters Degree in Animal Law at the Lewis and Clark Law School, based in USA, in 2017. She is one of the few African Animal Lawyers, and the first in Southern Africa. Conservation has always been a passion of Evers’, her initial choice of degree would have been an Environmental Science Degree. As it turns out, the combination of the two has opened doors for her she never dreamt possible. Her not for profit organization, Speak Out for Animals, has provided a powerful conduit to attaining her goals.
Speak Out for Animals has facilitated the training of 20 lawyers, 60 prosecutors and 20 investigating officers specifically on animal law. On the 11th of October, 2018, Ever officially launched her Wildlife Legal Guide Book, which serves as a premier source of information with clear and simple content. She also got approval from the Herbert Chitepo Law School to introduce wildlife law as a module, ensuring future magistrates and prosecutors are fully cognisant of the laws before they graduate.
Its not all plain sailing though. Evers’ schedule is manically busy, juggling the responsibilities of running her organisation, trying to get the cooperation of key stake holders and authorities, and ensure her legal work continues smoothly, there are not enough hours in the day. Currently one of her focus areas will be taking the multitude of legal instruments protecting various species, and amalgamating them into one comprehensive document. The Parks and Wildlife Act also needs urgent review and amendment.
Her work training legal and wildlife agents will continue, and by 2023 she wants to see the establishment of a Wildlife Court in Zimbabwe.
We have limited time to right the wrongs and begin the reversal of the natural destruction we have caused over the last few hundred years. Ever is pushing forward in great strides, making ground breaking changes to protect our natural world.
