Pausing beside a newly finished livestock enclosure, Simbarashe “Simba” Chatikobo leaned in and listened. No panicked bleats or rustling. Just a quiet stillness that told him the design was working. For families living on the edge of Zimbabwe’s Matusadona National Park, a secure enclosure can mean the difference between waking up to a full herd or facing a devastating loss. For Simba, these small wins are proof that human-lion coexistence is built one farm and one solution at a time. As one of WCN’s Rising Wildlife Leaders, Simba has turned that work into a growing conservation career. 

In communities surrounding Matusadona, lions and other carnivores can prey on livestock, placing strain on families who rely on goats and cattle for their livelihood. When losses occur, frustration can turn into retaliation. At the same time, conservationists face their own pressures. The cost of travel, equipment, and basic expenses often makes it difficult to remain in conservation. Not long ago, Simba was unsure whether he could afford to continue. 

Fortunately, Simba found WCN’s Rising Wildlife Leaders career program, which helps conservationists build long-term careers through flexible support, targeted training, peer learning, and mentorship. That investment reduced Simba’s financial stress and gave him room to grow as a leader.  “If I had not received this opportunity when I did, I would not be working in conservation right now,” Simba shared. 

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WCN's Rising Wildlife Leaders career program offers personalized career support, enabling participants like Simba to remain working in conservation and helping them advance their careers at critical moments.

In his three years as a Rising Wildlife Leader, Simba built up his practical skills, strengthened his confidence, and emerged as a more effective conservationist. Today, he has been promoted to Senior Programs Officer with Wildlife Conservation Action (WCA), where his team uses practical coexistence strategies, such as elevated livestock enclosures. Their efforts are paying off. Lion conflict incidents with farmers in WCA’s project area have dropped by more than 65% over the last three years.

Simba reflects on his own journey too. “I went from barely clinging to work to being seen as a leading conservationist.” Looking ahead, he adds, “When WCN looks at our careers in ten years, they should be proud, because they helped shape what is possible for me and the rest of the participants.”