Abused and disadvantaged women have become Zimbabwe's hidden weapon against poachers who kill elephants and rhinos for their tusks and horns. The Akashinga squad, or "The Brave Ones," is Zimbabwe's first all-female anti-poaching team that has quickly earned a top reputation as sharpshooters. They've arrested 80 armed poachers in the past year.
Petronella Chigumbura, the star sniper of the squad, wears a full camouflage suit for solo night patrols.
"When I wear this suit no one can see me, and I can hide from the poacher," Chigumbura told CBS News foreign correspondent Debora Patta in a report for "Down to Earth" by CBS News on Facebook Watch.
The women all come from disadvantaged backgrounds, ranging from desperate poverty to horrific domestic violence. They were recruited by Damien Mander, a former Australian Special Operations soldier and a most unlikely champion of women's rights.
