The Dream Fund Project: Coexisting with Elephants

Coexisting with Elephants: Kavango Zambezi’s Groundbreaking Approach to Human-Elephant Conflict

The Kavango Zambezi Trans Frontier Conservation Area is home to over half of the world’s Savannah elephants — an estimated 227,900 majestic creatures, as highlighted in the 2022 Kavango Zambezi Elephant Survey. While this is a monumental conservation success, it also comes with challenges, particularly the increasing human-elephant conflict, affecting over 3 million people living alongside these incredible animals.

To create a harmonious coexistence, Kavango Zambezi Partner States, in collaboration with local communities and international development partners, are rolling out innovative solutions to mitigate conflicts.

One standout example, as part of the Dreamfund Project, is a solar-powered elephant restraint system that helps protect crops without harming the elephants.

Thanks to this initiative, farmers like Mn’ambe Muzebe from Zambia’s Kavango Zambezi region no longer must spend sleepless nights guarding their fields. “We would take turns at night to scare off elephants, but now, we can sleep peacefully and coexist with them,” Mn’ambe shares, highlighting the success of this Dreamfund Project.

Launched in 2020 and funded by the Dutch National Postcode Lottery, the Dreamfund Project aims to safeguard Kavango Zambezi’s elephant population while supporting local communities. The impact is clear: healthier wildlife, thriving communities, and a future where people and elephants thrive together.

Want to learn more about the Dreamfund Project and its transformative work in the region?

Watch the documentary here! Dreamfund Project Documentary