Many people interact with wildlife and domestic animals in Liberia, but overall awareness about zoonotic disease risks is low. Raising awareness involved information about the purpose of the project, as well as dedicated engagement using the 'Living Safely with Bats' visual book. This messgaing integrated biodiversity and health information, in line with a One Health approach.
Collaboration on an international project allowed for sharing and optimization of materials, including adaptation of the information and visuals in the 'Living Safely with Bats' book to the Liberian context. Holding engagement sessions as a group allowed for questions and norms to be considered in a respectful and open community-led manner. The trust established allowed for the messages to be positively received.
Changing perceptions and norms takes time and sustained engagement, particularly in settings where health literacy is limited. With accurate information and practical strategies for their context, communities are empowered to take on actions that reduce disease risk and protect animals and ecosystems.
Communities were initially concerned about outsiders coming to their villages. Sustained engagement with community leaders, and outreach to community members, helped to establish trust over time. In particular, a key feedback was hearing the appreciation that the team came back to share information.
Implementation by Liberian scientists ensured the local conditions, complexities of the issue, and needs were considered. Building in time and resources to return to communities from the start of the project was important, to be able to honor promises to return to share information from the evidence base.
Perception and understanding of the issues varies by community. Local leaders, such as Paramount Chiefs, play a crucial role in their communities and are vital partners in trust building.
AREECA project officials and government interacting with Gomeza Community and pupils at Gomeza Primary School, Ntcheu, Central Malawipartners
Taken by contributor who authorized use
Although Gomeza Community used Self-drive to restore the forest reserve, the community attracted attention from government and non-governmental organisations. The partnerships led to provision of technical capacity building to the community on sivicultural aspects. Other insitutions also supported the community in their vision. This led to reduced resource need per institution to work with the community.
Accommodating
Cooperation
Joint planning
Prevent the duplication of efforts by close cooperation and joint planning
Building trust and improved networking are key elements of starting partnerships
The species in focus was a demand for the conservationists, ecologists, biologists, etc. Thus, the importance of the target species and the habitat at the global level gave the interventions a global impact. The threatened species is a part of the global conservation action, therefore, took immediate attention.
The selection of the sites for nature-tourism was based on the type of species and habitat of global importance.
The site selected for the nature-tourism purpose plays a vital role. The site with the species and habitat of global relevance attract universal sectors.
Another important aspect of the intervention was the ability of replication and site-specificity. These features made the interventions important for all such areas where there is a need of conservation of certain habitats and species.
The models are scalable and replicable.
The fact that the model is site-specific means there's no competition when replicated.
The energetic zeal and passion of the mentors and the local youth at every phase, from step one of planning to the last one of execution, could be treated as important feature in success of the interventions. The stakeholders learned about the scope of other attributes of tourism at Abu Hills. This triggered the interest of stakeholders to get involved with the tourism sector in anyway. Thus, nature tourism was popularized.
The motivation and inspirational leadership of the executing persons/ agencies.
The role and responsibility undertaken by the implementing agency or the people need to have the positive attitude with strong commitment.
Due respect was given to the indigenous customs and traditions of the target (deprived) section of the community. This action transformed the local community to take the ownership which fostered community participation resulting into the success of the interventions.
The target community felt closeness with the interventions.
The community participates only through the level of the ownership which needs involvement of the eco-traditions and customs followed by the community.
The most important feature of the intervention was the set-target and well defined objectives. Based on the principle of win-win at the end of all the sides, the strategies were planned and executed. Another important feature included the flexible and customized approach of the strategy.
Micro and macro planning with flexibility.
Even though the flexibility was kept in the strategic plans but the mandatory actions needed to be executed within time-frame for future analysis.
