While managed by a central technical and design team, the picture book, entitled Living Safely with Bats, is a product of a multi-country, multi-disciplinary collaboration. From inception to distribution, every effort was made to incorporate the cultural contexts, local knowledge, and technical expertise from within the consortium, which included social scientists, veterinarians, clinicians, ecologists and epidemiologists from all of the countries in which the book was intended for the first round of implementation.
Open and clear communication channels ensured that previously siloed sectors were able to collaborate and share ideas. The PREDICT team often served as the bridge between diverse stakeholders, identifying areas of overlap and bringing together local and international actors to develop locally-relevant guidance, strategies, and solutions.
Allowing local stakeholders to guide discussions on needs, context, and optimal outcomes allowed for context specific plans to be crafted in the design and dissemination. Technical experts were then able to contribute input to ensure the scientific background was up-to-date and high safety standards were adhered to. These collaborations resulted in positive outcomes for both the communities being served and the bats in need of protection.