Humanitarian responders need to use local languages to communicate effectively with crisis-affected people living in Beira, Mozambique DANBURY, Conn., USA – 23 May, 2019. Translators without Borders (TWB) found that 33% of people surveyed in Beira, Mozambique lack the information they need following Cyclone Idai, in a language they understand. Humanitarian responders should understand the […]
Are they listening? The challenges and opportunities of multilingual communication in Borno State
People affected by the conflict in linguistically diverse northeast Nigeria need to give and receive critical information in multiple languages. Options for doing so are currently limited, but rethinking how humanitarians use audio messaging to reach their intended audiences could change that. Research shows that audio is the most widely understood communication format among internally […]
TWB Glossary for Mozambique
Portuguese – Ndau – Nyanja – Sena – Shona – English During a crisis, humanitarian responders and crisis-affected people need to communicate effectively. In the linguistically diverse, low-literacy context of Mozambique, key concepts and terms can create confusion and misunderstanding if not properly translated. TWB glossaries are designed to help bridge this communication gap by […]
Mozambique Provincial Language Maps
To communicate with people affected by Cyclone Idai and Cyclone Kenneth, humanitarian responders need to know which languages people speak, and where. They need to know which formats are best to use when communicating with women, or less literate communities. Mozambicans speak more than 40 languages, and most women and many men cannot read or […]
Translators without Borders scales program to develop machine translation for marginalized languages
Cisco funding increases focus on developing language technology to improve two-way communication DANBURY, Conn., USA – 26 April, 2019. Translators without Borders (TWB) has received funding from the Cisco Foundation, the corporate social responsibility partner of the global technology leader, to scale up Gamayun, the language equality initiative. The initiative uses advanced language technology to […]
Cyclone Kenneth in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique – Crisis Language Map
Cyclone Kenneth hit the northern part of the country on 25 April 2019, the strongest storm in Mozambique’s recorded history and the second in five weeks. Strong winds, rainfall, landslides, and flooding are expected at the time of writing, endangering lives and livelihoods. In the wake of Cyclone Kenneth, people affected need to obtain critical […]
Translating information to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse
Sexual exploitation and abuse continue to occur in humanitarian contexts worldwide. We believe that language can help prevent it. Preventing abuse starts by making the rules on sexual conduct clear and available in languages people can understand, so everyone knows what is acceptable. The international humanitarian world’s coordination body, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), developed […]
TWB study finds that people in Goma, DRC do not fully understand Ebola-related messages
Responders should use the local form of Swahili to communicate with communities at risk of Ebola. DANBURY, Conn., USA – 19 March, 2019 Translators without Borders (TWB) found that people in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) do not fully understand Ebola-prevention messages in French and standard Swahili. Responders should use the local form of […]
Missing the mark? People in eastern DRC need information on Ebola in a language they understand
People at risk of contracting Ebola need information to keep themselves and their families safe. Information they don’t understand will not help them. They need clear communication in plain, localized language, in a format they understand, and through channels they trust. To learn how to better communicate, TWB conducted the rapid language needs assessment in […]
The words between us: How well do enumerators understand the terminology used in humanitarian surveys?
Data collection is the foundation of humanitarian programs, informing humanitarian response plans, program design, and safeguarding measures. If the data is inaccurate, humanitarian action may be misconceived, unaccountable, inefficient, and ultimately lacking in impact for those most in need. Language plays a critical but largely overlooked part in data quality. Translators without Borders (TWB) is […]
The language lesson: What we’ve learned about communicating with Rohingya refugees
Refugees have a right to information and two-way communication in their own language, in a format they understand, and through channels they prefer and trust. In the past year, access to information has improved in the Rohingya refugee response as a result of an increased humanitarian focus on communicating with communities. Yet language barriers and […]
Updated TWB Glossary for Bangladesh includes gender, disability, and inclusion
English – Bangla – Chittagonian – Rohingya – Burmese Translators Without Borders (TWB) is excited to be releasing the latest version of its glossary for field workers and interpreters working on the Rohingya humanitarian response in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. This glossary is designed to assist field workers and interpreters working on the Rohingya humanitarian response […]