Defying gender inequality: my women-led translation services company’s story

A TWB Community blog post by Maria Scheibengraf

A smiling woman: Maria Scheibengraf, TWB Community member
Maria Scheibengraf

Several authors have studied the dynamics of language and gender, highlighting how society has long perceived translation as a “feminine” activity. This idea is rooted in centuries-old stereotypes: Society has long seen translation as a secondary and derivative activity – unlike the “creative” arts such as literature and poetry. So women undertaking such “lesser” tasks in the shadows was nothing more than a common expectation.

In other words, “Originality, creativity and authority, depicted ’masculine,’ had patriarchal authority empowering them to relegate whatever was female to secondary roles.” (Abdelgawad, 2016). The advice “Good translators are like ninjas – if you notice them, they’re no good” is no accident. I think the underlying message that nobody dares to say out loud is that women should not steal the spotlight from the men authors, deemed to be the real creative geniuses.

In this article, I want to talk about how my experience with leading a translation services company has allowed me to defy traditional gender roles and expectations. My business, which is woman-led and staffed by women, offers translation services for traditionally men-dominated fields such as software, marketing, and SEO (search engine optimization). I’ll start with some personal views about translation, inequality, and the need for empowered women in our industry. Learn more at crisoltranslations.com

Structural inequality is at the root of our industry’s gender divide

The unconscious perception of translation as something “inferior” isn’t the only factor standing in the way of a more equitable gender distribution in the industry.

There are also structural and economic aspects to consider, such as translation work being more suitable for independent contractors than other activities – it’s easier for women to juggle their family life and professional commitments by working as translators.

Because, let’s face it: Women often take the lead in family-related matters, while their men counterparts usually focus on their careers. In Argentina, for example, the distribution of unpaid work in a heterosexual couple is still largely unequal, with women spending up to 6.5 hours a day on housework and caregiving vs men’s 3 hours.

Women choosing translation because of its flexible work hours isn’t an intrinsically bad thing – with freelancing and entrepreneurship comes the potential for higher earnings, which means it’s easier to shatter the glass ceiling. The problem lies in the deeper inequalities that prevent women from finding the time, energy, and resources to make their businesses succeed. How can one possibly balance parenting, running a household, and the pursuit of an entrepreneurial venture without falling into an even deeper pit of exhaustion?

The result is that the vast majority of women translators end up stuck in a cycle of low-paying (don’t get me started on bottom-feeding translation agencies), sporadic gigs, and unable to move forward in their careers. And those few men that do choose the translation industry? They are the ones who can access better-paid and more secure positions. You’ll find them in privileged positions such as managerial roles, executive-level collaborations, speaking engagements, and other high-status opportunities.

Something doesn’t add up

I’ve always thought: if translation is indeed a women-dominated field, then why do so many high-prestige opportunities – translating best-selling books, interpreting at televised events, etc. – seem to skew heavily toward men, featuring a disproportionately low number of women translators? Either there’s a genetic prerogative (which is obviously impossible), or there’s a significant amount of discrimination against women.

My theory is that, when it comes to prestige and visibility, the best opportunities are usually reserved for those who already have the most privileges – men, white people, etc. Put differently: Even if there are no (direct) barriers to accessing translation work, the best opportunities are likely to go to those who already enjoy a certain degree of material and social privilege. Once again, I’m talking about structural inequalities.

All-permeating discrimination, gender and otherwise

One would think that the 21st century would be the age of equality. But, sadly, this is far from being true in many parts of the world – and in our industry too.

About six months ago, I was shocked to find that a renowned industry magazine had launched a nomination for a so-called “Sexiest in localization” award. Granted, they took the precaution to speak of “people” and not “women”, but I found it outrageous that 2022 could still be the year of making people’s looks a factor for recognition. In an industry where the majority of them are women. And despite the magazine saying that by “sexy” they meant “skill, confidence, and intellect” (what?!).

I’m focusing on gender in this article because it’s Women’s History Month. But if we’re to talk about gender inequalities in the translation industry, we must recognize that other forms of discrimination – such as racism and xenophobia – are also rampant.

See Sarah’s post below for another example – how did no one realize that an Asian SEO conference with no Asian experts (international SEO and SEO translation are fields within the translation industry) was just wrong?

A post highlighting the absense of Asian speakers at an Asian CEO conference

My experience as the co-founder of a women-led translation company

Back in 2011, when I started freelancing as a translator, I was already aware of the gender disparities in the field. But then again, I’ve always been overly conscious of any kind of inequality.

I’m autistic, you see (apparently we come with superpowers, one of which is sensitivity to injustice). I guess that also places me at the intersection of two discriminated groups, neurodivergent people and women. I could add that I grew up in an underdeveloped economy where translators receive peanuts for their work.

The stubborn feminist I am, and fuelled by my desire to make the translation industry a better place for all of us, I dreamt of founding a business that would thrive while giving ethics and fair pay the priority they deserve. A sort of “if you can’t find the example, be the example” manifesto, if you will.

That’s how I became the co-founder of a women-led translation company in 2016, together with my three best friends from uni. We proudly run a business that’s built on three pillars: fairness, inclusivity, and camaraderie.

I won’t lie and say it was all easy. It wasn’t. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve had to battle mansplaining, unwanted comments about my looks, a skeptical attitude towards women in business, xenophobic remarks, or the occasional negative comment about my autism.

The fact that we provide marketing translation and SEO translation services for a typically men-dominated field – software – didn’t exactly help pave the way for us either (SEO also features a higher proportion of men than women). Yet here we are, four women entrepreneurs, fighting the fight and striving to make our mark in a world where we often feel like we don’t belong.

The rewards of being part of a revolution

It may have been tough sometimes, but my business has achieved great things too: we operate ethically, we organize regular training sessions and events to promote career development opportunities for freelance translators, and we annoy at least three bigots a week on social media. Add a few public call-outs to exploitative agencies, and I think we can safely say that we’ve made an impact.

The best part, if you ask me, is the community of women entrepreneurs that we’ve been able to build – a wonderful group who support each other, celebrate each other’s successes, and act as a safe haven in an often hostile industry. A great example is that I asked one of them (María Leticia Cazeneuve, from Humane Language Services) to give this article a look and suggest ideas on how to make it better. On a Saturday. And she immediately said yes.

It can be done: we can create an open and inclusive translation industry for everyone. We just need to work together and keep fighting the good fight. This Women’s History Month, and every month, may all of us be inspired to push for change and make a difference.

About TWB and CLEAR Global

Translators without Borders (TWB) is a global community of over 100,000 language volunteer translators and language specialists offering language services to humanitarian and development organizations worldwide.

TWB is part of CLEAR Global, a US-based nonprofit that also comprises CLEAR Tech and CLEAR Insights. CLEAR Global helps people get vital information and be heard, whatever language they speak. We do this through research and scalable language technology solutions that improve two-way communication with communities that speak marginalized languages. Learn more about this important work at clearglobal.org 

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Read more on women’s rights and equity this International Women’s Day

Guest post written by Maria Scheibengraf, English to Spanish translator and TWB Community member. 

Stop labeling women as vulnerable

A TWB Community blog post by Mariana Estrada Ávila

About Mariana

Mariana Estrada Ávila is a specialist in communications and human rights. She has been working with international organizations for more than ten years. In 2018 she collaborated with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in the launch of the #IndigenousWomen global campaign.

A woman, Mariana, TWB Community member, smiling to the camera

It’s time to change the narrative on vulnerability, embrace equity and make women visible

If you work in a humanitarian or development organization, it is likely you’ll  have read or even written or translated many reports, projects, or press releases that mention supporting a common but ambiguous group: “the most vulnerable people.’ And if we look deeper into this vague concept, we find that the first in line are women, followed by children, Indigenous Peoples, migrants, and people with disabilities, among others.

However, in many interviews, rural women, indigenous women, black women, migrant women, and women with disabilities, have agreed that women are not vulnerable people per se. Needless to say, the same goes for Indigenous Peoples, children, migrants, and people with disabilities. As medical doctor and indigenous woman Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine explains, they are people who have been placed in situations of vulnerability by different factors, such as a lack of respect for their rights, marginalization, discrimination, and violence, among others.

Why is the term “vulnerable” problematic?

First and foremost, because it invisibilizes. The problem with the use of such a vague and generalized term as “the most vulnerable people” is that it makes invisible the population that we are trying to prioritize and it ignores the causes of their vulnerable situation. Who knows who you are really addressing when you address such a heterogeneous group? How can you make programs that really help to solve their challenges if the diverse and complex issues and roots are ignored?

Second, the term “vulnerable” carries a negative connotation. It implies that the problem lies with them, or that certain people have some intrinsic characteristics or traits that make them vulnerable. This point has already repeatedly been underlined in the public health sector. The article ‘Vagueness, power, and public health: use of ‘vulnerable‘ in public health literature’ (2019) highlights that the term the most vulnerable people tends to put the burden on the people who are affected, implying that even if programs, policies, and processes change, their vulnerability will remain.

Women are not born vulnerable

Half of the world’s population is not born with fewer capabilities or inherent vulnerability. The systematic lack of respect for women’s human rights, and its intersection with other factors, such as violence, discrimination, or marginalization place women in complex situations of vulnerability. 

For example, see this report published in 2021 on Complaint and feedback mechanisms: Effective communication is essential for true accountability in Nigeria. TWB noted that a lack of access to information in a crisis context could reinforce a situation of vulnerability, whereby women in particular, who often have less access to education and less opportunity to learn other languages, could be disproportionately affected by the lack of information in their own language.

Women around the world have advocated for programs and initiatives that address the root causes that can limit the development of their full potential, rather than an approach that builds on, and reinforces an assumption that they will always need assistance, and can’t lead change. As Pratima Gurung from Nepal underlines, it is important to recognize and make visible the potential of women to contribute to the development of communities and society. 

Using the power of language to change the narrative on vulnerability

What can we do? No one knows the power of words better than those who use language as their main tool of work. First, it is important to promote a general reflection within our organizations. Through our use of language, are we reinforcing society’s tendency to position women as “vulnerable”?  After all, language is one of the most essential components of social dynamics.

Secondly, instead of using “the most vulnerable people” as a catch-all, let us try to identify and name the groups we are really referring to. Let us think about the causes that have put them in this situation. As an example, instead of saying “this COVID-19 pandemic response program will help the most vulnerable people” we can try “this program will help women who were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic“. This allows us to clearly visualize our target population and the causes that have put them in a vulnerable situation. 

As writers, translators, and communicators we have the power to change the narrative around vulnerability and thus contribute to reinforcing and making visible that there is something behind this condition – that vulnerability is not inherent to women or other people. 

It is important not to forget that a human rights approach to language means focusing on the people and their dignity, rather than labeling them.

About TWB and CLEAR Global

Translators without Borders (TWB) is a global community of over 100,000 language volunteer translators and language specialists offering language services to humanitarian and development organizations worldwide.

TWB is part of CLEAR Global, a US-based nonprofit that also comprises CLEAR Tech and CLEAR Insights. CLEAR Global helps people get vital information and be heard, whatever language they speak. We do this through research and scalable language technology solutions that improve two-way communication with communities that speak marginalized languages. 

We believe in increasing equity for all people, especially those that are disproportionately affected by language barriers. We endeavor, in our communications, to amplify voices that are marginalized due to a lack of resources in their language. We want to create systematic change in the way the world communicates. This means putting people at the center of our programs and prioritizing humanity and dignity. As a nonprofit, we’re guided by the humanitarian principles of humanitarian aid which means delivering lifesaving assistance to people in need, without discrimination (UNOCHA). Learn more about this important work at clearglobal.org. 

Follow TWB on Facebook and LinkedIn. Follow CLEAR Global on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Read more on women’s rights and equity this International Women’s Day

Guest post written by Mariana Estrada, English, and French to Spanish translator and TWB community member

Creative fundraising for a more inclusive future: the story of Ludejo BV

How Ludejo BV go the extra mile, and how your company can support with fundraising too

CLEAR Global is a nonprofit, with the TWB Community of over 100,000 language volunteers at its core – fundraising is key. Along with our research and partnership programs and AI-based language technology solutions, we’re helping people get vital information and be heard, whatever language they speak. A considerable part of what we do at CLEAR Global is thanks to our sponsors and collaborators. Without them, our impact wouldn’t be the same. Both financial sponsors and in-kind sponsors help us to quickly respond to humanitarian crises. Right now,  the support we receive is helping provide urgent language services in response to the Türkiye-Syria earthquake, the Ukraine war, the conflict in Nigeria, and more. Our valuable sponsors help us harness the power of our community to do more good.

“I believe – and my team is completely behind this – in giving. Even, or perhaps especially, in difficult times. When you give, something keeps flowing. Giving provides confidence in a hopeful future for everyone. Ludejo is the company I established on a foundation of love. We are grateful to be in a position to support CLEAR Global financially. We will continue to support CLEAR Global with our time and our talents.”

Malon Hamoen – Ludejo’s Founder & CEO
Malon and colleagues fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
Photo credit: Technolex Translation Studios, Ukraine. 

All our sponsors ignite our hope for a brighter future, where speakers of all languages can access opportunities and make their voices heard. Our invaluable supporters provide us with the collaborations, expertise, and funding that are required to move our mission forward and help more people access information digitally in a language and format they understand. 

We love to celebrate companies that go the extra mile in their willingness to support our mission- not only fundraising but also looking for ways to engage the wider community to help us grow visibility and support across the world. One of them is Ludejo BV.

Since their very own foundation, Ludejo BV decided to fundraise to support our TWB community. 

It all started back in 2016, at the GALA conference in New York. Our CEO, Aimee Ansari, gave a speech about the need to ensure that language is not a barrier when it comes to the humanitarian sector. As Aimee explained the work that Translators without Borders, now CLEAR Global, does, one audience member was hooked. 

It was then that Andrew Hickson, now Media Production Manager of Ludejo BV, first heard about our work and just had to meet Aimee. As he learned more about the vision, to ensure that people get vital information, and be heard, whatever language they speak, he felt there was more to be done.  “When I got back from New York, I was very excited to talk to Malon about helping TWB.” However, we weren’t in a position to help financially. And Dutch isn’t really a language that requires a huge amount of time or investment for TWB. 

The beginning of a Fun(draiser) collaboration. 

Fundraising in 2017 –

Andrew, and Ludejo’s Founder & CEO, Malon, met Aimee once again at the Association of Translation Companies (ATC) conference in London. They got talking about ways in which they could help our nonprofit with the resources they had, and decided to commit to supporting our work by running fundraisers. They decided that the best way to bring language service providers (LSPs) together would be to organize a  fundraiser during the next GALA conference, which in 2017 was in Amsterdam, “a home conference of sorts.”

“I ran out of time and ideas for the fundraiser, so in a bit of a panic, I shaved off my beard. People seemed to like that.”

Andrew Hickson from Ludejo explained.
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global

This was just the beginning of a long, organic, and exciting collaboration. The fundraiser in Amsterdam was supposed to be a “one-off”, but with the coordination and support of GALA, the organization of these events became easy and natural. With GALA’s support and Ludejo’s vision of bringing together the LSP community to support our work, the TWB Fundraiser has become a GALA Tradition. Our work has been very much in alignment – both of our mission statements clearly outlined the need to improve multilingual information access.  Yet as a newly founded LSP, they didn’t have the resources to support us in the traditional way.

Ludejo’s fundraisers have emphasized bringing the LSP community together to support the cause and also to have fun!

For five years, Ludejo BV’s fundraisers have helped us spread the word about our work at multiple GALA events! The first one was in Amsterdam, in 2017. That was the time Andrew decided to shave his beard, and got other people to do the same, get henna tattoos, and dye their hair, all for a good cause!

Then, in 2018 –

The time came for another gathering in  Boston. 

The Boston fundraiser took place during the week leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. So the theme for that year’s fundraiser was easily decided. “A Bit of Craic for TWB” (or ABC for TWB for short” – and “Craic” is the Irish word for “fun!”). The team powered through intense Boston snowstorms to get to the unmissable fundraising event and managed to raise lots of money for a good cause!

  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global

In 2019 –

The GALA conference took place in Munich. According to Andrew, “Something about Germany makes me think of David Hasselhoff. So it just made sense to have an 80s-themed party.” The eighties-themed fundraiser was hugely popular and even followed up by a spin-off nineties-themed fundraiser at the EUATC’s (European Union Association of Translation Companies) conference in Tallinn in 2019. 

  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global

2020 and 2021 –

During the COVID lockdowns, we were able to arrange a “Best in Show” fundraiser for TWB with Geoffrey Bowden and the team at the EUATC. This T-Update conference took place online, but the fundraiser was still able to raise over $1000.  

Last year, GALA gathered again after a pause, in San Diego, California. Ludejo made a great effort in showcasing our Ukraine Appeal and the impact we could have by supporting the affected people of Ukraine in their own languages. They wanted to bring everyone together not only to support our work but also to remind people that we had colleagues and other members of the LSP community facing a crisis and that it was our responsibility to not be indifferent to the situation. 

  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global

The Globalization and Localization Association (GALA) – another champion supporter of our work

GALA is another kind supporter of our work, who has been extremely generous in inviting us to participate in each of their conferences and has welcomed Ludejo BV’s fundraisers to promote our important work! 

GALA usually happens once a year, altering locations between the US and Europe. Ludejo’s fundraisers have become so intertwined with the regular GALA program that as of 2023, GALA has decided to now include our fundraiser as part of the agenda and registration process! 

In 2022 Ludejo turned five: and with their growth, they decided to become our diamond sponsor!

After 5 years in the industry, Ludejo has positioned itself as a leading voiceover and translation company, especially in the Dutch market. Malon and Andrew have wanted to support us as much as possible since their very beginnings, so in 2022, they decided to become a diamond sponsor.


We’re extremely grateful for everything Ludejo is doing to help us advance our mission of making the digital world more inclusive, giving people access to essential resources and tools in their language while growing our Four Billion Conversations movement. You can learn more about our aims to increase access to information globally on health, women’s rights, climate change, and forced displacement.

“Ludejo is one of our most valued sponsors. They consistently support our work, raise awareness, and advocate. And they do it in the most fun and creative ways. Their business model – prioritizing community support over profit – is truly inspiring and I hope will one day be the norm.”

Aimee Ansari, CEO – CLEAR Global / TWB
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global
  • fundraising for TWB and CLEAR Global

And they will keep bringing the fun to fundraisers

What Aimee says is true: they know how to run a fundraiser, and they couldn’t be more creative or committed! 

This time, in 2023

Ludejo will continue the tradition and run yet another fundraiser for us at the GALA event in Dublin. If you will be there, we invite you to save the date, March 14th, 2023! 

This time, they will be hosting a speakeasy-themed event, aiming to raise USD 5,000! Combined with a Great Gatsby dress code to make it fun, Ludejo will be inviting language and localization professionals to support TWB and CLEAR Global by sharing a simple and profound idea: we make the most of our impact when we can get our message across in the easiest way possible for people to understand. 

We truly hope that you can join them!

You’ll have a great time while learning with and from experts in the language and localization industry. And you’ll get to meet wonderful people like Malon and his team! 

Fundraisers like this one make a difference to us. They help us reach more people and multiply the impact we create at CLEAR Global, with the support of our TWB Community of over 100,000 language volunteers across the world. 

If you’re inspired by Ludejo’s commitment to giving back, talk to us and explore the opportunity to become a sponsor.

And if you’re already a sponsor, why not take inspiration from Malon and Andrew, and create your own feel-good fundraiser for us?

Unlock the power of language with the TWB Learning Center

Discover our free online translator training courses: launching TWB’s new-look Learning Center! 

Introducing the new TWB Learning Center – a place for community members to gain experience in humanitarian translation and learn in-demand language industry skills. 

Part of CLEAR Global, TWB brings together over 100,000 language volunteers globally, helping people get vital information and be heard, whatever language they speak. Together, we’re dedicated to translating and localizing important information to support the world’s most marginalized people. Our community members work to help our nonprofit partners worldwide provide lifesaving multilingual messages, ensuring everyone can understand. Now we’re launching our new-look Learning Center and brand-new, self-paced online translation courses! The TWB Learning Center is a great way for newcomers and language professionals alike to continue to develop their skills and stay ahead in the industry. So, dive in and get ready to learn something new!

Photo: All community members who successfully complete a course will attain a downloadable certificate. Here are our TWB Nigeria team members with their certificates. 

Explore new translator training opportunities exclusive to TWB Community members

Available courses: 

Every contribution matters – in every language: making translator training accessible 

Our team of experts has revamped the existing e-learning platform for translators to provide our community members with free, high-quality courses. These courses are designed to be accessible to both experienced localization professionals and those of you who speak marginalized languages. Even if you’re starting from scratch. Perhaps you speak a language that lacks useful translation training resources? Whether you are looking to refresh yourself on the basics, or learn about machine translation and translating for humanitarian contexts, TWB’s Learning Center courses allow you to develop and apply your language skills. So you can make a bigger impact professionally, and personally. 

Our community members help us make vital material accessible to more people around the world. The work you do matters. You’re helping some of the world’s most vulnerable people get answers to their questions in times of crisis, know their rights, and how to stay safe when forcibly displaced. You’re helping people get accurate and reliable health information. And you’re helping those who are most impacted by climate change protect themselves and our planet. 

Grow your skills and translate for good

The TWB Learning Center offers community members a variety of interactive, self-paced online courses to learn and grow professionally and acquire new skills. Our courses empower linguists and non-professional bilinguals to participate in humanitarian and development translation tasks on the TWB Platform and initiatives for making their languages part of global conversations. These courses cater to everyone, from newcomers to the language industry with no previous experience, to professional translators who are looking to keep up to date with the latest innovations. In the TWB Learning Center, TWB Community members can choose to improve and build their capabilities in areas of their choice, such as translation, machine translation post-editing (MT PE), our computer-assisted translation tool (Phrase TMS), target terminology development and glossaries, desktop publishing, and more to come.

New to TWB, translation, or the humanitarian field?

Everyone is welcome. Our courses are designed to be accessible by speakers of low-resourced and well-resourced languages alike. If you’ve not yet joined the TWB Community, you can sign up today. Learn more about the community and join here. If you’re new to translation and the humanitarian field, complete the TWB Learning Center courses to learn about our translation tools and get practice using your new skills on impactful projects. 

Work towards your professional goals with TWB:

  • Learn about key translation concepts and tools
  • Get familiar with the tools and skills you need to start working on translation tasks with TWB and in your career
  • Develop the experience and capability to take on more complex translator training and explore more specialized topics
Photo: a sneak peek of our Learning Center. Ibrahim, left, with a participant testing out a device powered by community members’ translations. It enables displaced people in Bakassi camp, Nigeria, to give feedback to camp staff in their own language. It lets people listen to vital information that matters to them, like how food distribution works.

Don’t miss out – course certification 

Once you successfully complete a course on the TWB Learning Center, you can download a certificate. Showcase your skills, share certificates with your network, and enhance your resume. We love to see our global community learning and growing – here are some posts people have shared after completing their courses – why not join them? 

Our language volunteers shared their experience

We spoke to Yuriy Kovalenko, English, Ukrainian and Russian translator  who shares our love for learning on the TWB Platform

“I have been working with TWB for almost two years, but more actively since the full-scale war in Ukraine started. Now, for almost a year, the flood of information, manuals, and reports was overwhelming and this required faster rendering of diverse texts into the target language. Faster, but maintaining a high quality of translation, meeting deadlines, sustaining attention to detail, localization, and consistency, to name a few. TWB has a user-friendly platform, comradely and supportive staff, detailed and easy-to-follow Translator’s Toolkit for newbies, a Guide for TWB Community members, and Language Quality Inspection/Assessment.”

Photo: Yuriy at work.

“When I was invited by TWB to attend their online course on MT PE (machine translation post-editing), without hesitation, I signed up and learned how to apply my skills in a more efficient way. Now, this experience allowed me to understand better how machine translation works, and how AI (artificial intelligence) can be helpful in many respects. I now find it easier to translate more accurately using other different platforms and CAT (computer-assisted translation). I definitely recommend these TWB courses to any aspiring professional. The knowledge, skills and experience you acquire and hone will be invaluable. In my case, working with and learning from the TWB made me feel more accomplished.” 

Yuriy Kovalenko, TWB Community member.

Mirriam Kitaka joined TWB as a young Swahili translator:

“I joined TWB in 2019 after a thorough Google search for a translation website that could give me an opportunity to grow as a young translator, and this was two years after my mentor introduced me to the field. When I found TWB, I joined as a Swahili Translator Volunteer (TWB Community member). I have since translated, reviewed, and proofread a lot of tasks on the TWB platform. Under the community recognition program, I have been awarded a Certificate of Volunteer Activity and a Reference Letter as a Translator, not to forget a phone top-up for attaining the minimum threshold designed by the organization.” 

“TWB has given me the opportunity to take courses which have scaled my translation, proofreading, editing, and reviewing skills. For me, they offered specific content and information, especially in the humanitarian field. They are very nice and rich courses that I would recommend current and upcoming translators to study through elearn.translatorswb.org. As I write this, I have donated 42,870 words already. I am also working on a very huge revision project. And I can also confirm that I am now a “TWB Traveller!” Thank you Translators without Borders and CLEAR Global for the opportunity to save lives through my native language.”

Mirriam Kitaka, TWB Community member.

Your invitation to join us

Go ahead and explore the Learning Center’s free translation courses today at elearn.translatorswb.org 

If you’re new to TWB – sign up here. 

Our goal is to make our training resources multilingual, with a special focus on low-resource languages. We are starting by translating our Basic Translator Training course with the support of our community! Our team hopes to make it available in at least ten languages this year. By March, we will upload module two of the Basic translator training course, plus a brand-new course on how to use CAT tools including Phrase TMS. Behind the scenes, are also working on making new training courses available on language quality, developing glossaries, and more. 

Watch this space as we learn and grow together!

We thank Microsoft for their kind Azure donation which hosts much of our language technology resources.

5 ways to help people connect this holiday season

Join our appeal to “Meet me in my language.” This International Volunteer Day, we invite you to volunteer, share or fundraise.

"Meet me in my language" this International Volunteer Day, December 5. With TWB and CLEAR Global.

“Meet me in my language” is our campaign to listen to people who speak marginalized languages and enable everyone to get vital information in their language.

Whoever you are, whatever language you speak, you can help people access essential resources and tools in their language. We know we can navigate the world more easily in a language we understand. Now, we can share that privilege with people who speak a marginalized language. Whether you volunteer, share or fundraise, you can help:

  • build communications solutions;
  • advocate for humanitarians to listen better;
  • and give people who provide vital health, protection and information services ways to engage in the right languages. 

So we can make a bigger impact together.

There are eight billion of us in this world.

Four billion people don’t have access to the essential digital communications tools we benefit from every day. It’s time to act. We can make the digital world more inclusive if we meet more people in the languages they speak. By supporting our campaign you will help amplify the voices of the world’s most marginalized people. Help us ensure people are at the center of conversations that affect them, and nobody’s voice goes unheard. Facing a natural disaster, someone who doesn’t read might need advice delivered visually, or via audio. Older people might only trust doctors who speak their language. And someone in a rural community may want to ask questions in their mother language with a voice-enabled solution.

Small actions make big change

The money we raise will improve our community’s online tools so we can reach more people. We will build more accessible language technology solutions, like chatbots for marginalized language speakers. Together we can scale up and create communications channels that include more people in important conversations that concern us all. 

By sharing our message with your friends, or running your own fundraiser, you can support this important work. 

Here are 5 easy ways to take action today:

1. Join the community volunteer

Share your language skills for good. With every word you donate, you will help us reach more people. Join the TWB Community to help people get vital information and be heard, whatever language they speak. Thank you for being part of the solution!

Learn more about becoming a TWB volunteer.
Sign up today.

2. Tell your friends 

If you’ve followed our story, you’ll understand the value of helping people make their voices heard. We want everyone to understand: language is vital. Spread the message: 

See our campaign toolkit and share our posts or write your own, in your language.
Tag us on Facebook and LinkedIn @TranslatorswithoutBorders, Instagram @TranslatorsWB, and Twitter @CLEARGlobalorg

3. Participate in the #MeetMeInMyLanguage campaign 

Post your own video.

Say “Meet me in my language” in your language. 
Use the hashtag #MeetMeInMyLanguage

4. Raise funds for our urgent work

Fundraise on Just Giving.

Or, if your company wants to support our urgent work, see clearglobal.org/sponsor-us 

5. Donate

However small or large, your donation can make a big impact – share the gift of connection with people who speak marginalized languages. 

Donate at clearglobal.org/donate

Putting people at the center of our efforts

When people have the tools they need, when we can get the answers we’re looking for, and really understand and engage in conversations, we’re empowered. We can make informed decisions, protect ourselves and thrive.

Read what our community members have to say about making an impact in their communities:

“TWB has given me the opportunity to give back to society the gifts life has given to me! During my time with the organization, I learnt a lot about different projects, met excellent and lovely people from the TWB team and fellow translators, improved my professional skills and was made to feel that I belong to a community that shares my values. 

It is also very rewarding to know that every day, somewhere, somebody is benefiting from my effort, my knowledge, and my work. 

The ever-growing importance of communications in the current world makes the work and commitment of CLEAR Global and the TWB Community indispensable.” 

Patricia, TWB Community member

Sifat Noor, TWB Volunteer

“I was happy to see there were organizations that worked with languages and translation. But what intrigued me the most was that TWB was accessible to ANYONE, no matter what background they were from, no ‘formal experience’ or ‘study in a relevant field’ were required”  

Sifat, TWB Community member

“At TWB and CLEAR Global, I expect that there will always be a space for new visions to crystalize, new goals to be set, new resources to be provided and new tools to be developed. And this is exactly what today’s world, and it’s never-ending issues – even crises, requires.” 

– Hiba, TWB Community member

Our work makes a difference. 

However you choose to take action this holiday season, thank you from us and every person we reach thanks to your contribution. When we come together, our community, our supporters and sponsors around the world can make a big impact.  

Your words, and your actions, have the power to change lives.

“Meet me in my language” – learn more.

Discover the community impact of our projects around the world

Thank you for being one in a hundred thousand TWB community members! 

This year, we celebrated the milestone of 100,000 members. Together with CLEAR Global, we are making a bigger impact than ever.

TWB is a global network of language volunteers supporting others. Community members translate and localize information for people who have limited resources or digital channels in their languages. The TWB community is at the heart of CLEAR Global. Our nonprofit helps people get vital information and be heard, whatever language they speak.

This holiday season, we want to share personal stories of the real-life impact our work makes.

Whether you need to speak to a doctor, learn how to secure your home or report abuse, information in the right language can make a life-changing difference.

The TWB community is helping create trusted support channels and make people’s voices heard. Hear from of some of our community members who translate, subtitle, and record voiceovers to reach marginalized communities in all corners of the world.

Together, we respond to urgent global challenges:

CLEAR Global's community projects around the world

Some of our projects around the world

With each document you translate, every subtitle you read, and word you revise, you are helping reach more people. Thank you for being part of the solution. Follow our community’s stories of impact and support our campaign to start more conversations, in more languages. 

Salwa’s testimonial – translation provides opportunities

“It was my first time volunteering online, but one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. I discovered that even when you’re home, you can still help others get vital information. This encouraged me to work daily on those tasks.  

I have chatted with other community members – who are my e-friends now. They inspired me with all the work they do while they were going through hard times. I found many people who supported me and encouraged me to show the world what I can do. For me, this was an opportunity to work in different fields and help as much as possible.

I get to help provide language services for different causes especially education and children. It’s more than enough to make me want to continue to volunteer with TWB. I know the work I do will help to enhance someone’s knowledge or help them get needed information. This makes it worth the time… even after a long working day. 

Over the last two years, I’ve seen the TWB Community grow fast. It is amazing that you have reached 100,000 volunteers. And your way of coping with this growth was great as well. I am sure you will always find the support you need from community members. I can see TWB will keep evolving, flourishing, and expanding its capacities and resources to accomplish its mission in the best possible way. And I cannot wait to be part of your next stop on this long journey.”

– Salwa, TWB community member

head and shoulders shot of Salwa waring a light grey and white scarf and black jacket , stood against a dark grey brick wall.

Salwa is a French teacher who has donated 650,404 words in Arabic and French. She has worked with TWB and CLEAR Global on projects supporting health and education for American Red Cross, Concern Worldwide, Save the Children, the H2H Network’s COVID-19 response, and the World Health Organization (WHO), among others. Her skills include translation, revision, subtitling, monolingual editing, desktop publishing (DTP), voiceover, and interpretation. 

Tien helps Vietnamese migrants understand vital advice

“I was inspired by the fact that more Vietnamese migrants will be able to understand the information sent to them. I feel happy that more Vietnamese volunteers are joining the TWB Community. And I think CLEAR Global and TWB Community will develop strongly in the future.”

 – Tien, TWB community member

Tien has long been a committed volunteer for TWB who has donated 82,8553 words to good causes. He has translated and revised with CLEAR Global, COVID-19 task forces, Partners In Health, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and more.

Hiba celebrates team effort in rapid crisis response

Hiba says, “I first discovered TWB at a time when I wanted to do more – to have a bigger meaning than my work, my circle, and me. I wanted to actually have an impact on people’s lives. And TWB just felt like the right place. Joining the community has been one of the best things I did. It gave me this sense that yes, I am doing something that matters. Something that – I hope – makes a positive change.

Plus, I’m impressed by the fact that TWB acts really quick to provide resources and linguistic help whenever a crisis arises, and in just less than three years, as you know, we have had COVID-19, the Ukraine crisis, and more. TWB works really hard to keep up with the language needs that arise. This takes me to the community. After all, this is not the work of one person, but hundreds of people – even thousands. The community now has 100,000 members – who decide to volunteer their time and effort, even on a daily basis, to help other people. This actually gives one hope about the future, no matter how grim the picture looks.” 

– Hiba, TWB community member 

Hiba has donated 1,294,561 words in English and Arabic. She has translated and revised projects for health, migration, and equality projects to help people get vital information with CLEAR Global, CARE International, IFRC, Oxfam, and other nonprofits. 

Usman meets chatbot users in northeast Nigeria 

“We have communications solutions at our fingertips. One Wednesday afternoon after office hours, I got a glimpse into the impact of one of our language solutions. I was at a local coffee shop when I heard a group of young people discussing the chatbot “Manhajar Shehu.” This is what we used to call it during our programs on the local radio’s live show. I keenly listened to their conversation as they debated some of the ways to get vaccinated and some traditional herbs that they had heard cured COVID-19. They had heard so many myths, they didn’t know what to believe. One of them used the chatbot in Hausa and they got reliable answers in seconds as he introduced his friends to Shehu. 

Shehu is CLEAR Global’s AI chatbot which helps people get reliable answers to their questions about COVID-19 in Hausa and Kanuri. Some of them were amazed at how the bot responded promptly and accurately in their local language. I proudly told them I was part of the team that built the bot, which sparked a load of questions. It is of great personal satisfaction to me knowing that people are not only using the bot out of fun, but they’re also glad and amazed with the information they receive from the bot. We are making a great positive impact on the lives of people in North-Eastern Nigeria and Maiduguri to be specific.”

– Usman, from CLEAR Global

Our chatbots have exchanged over 100,000 conversations. One conversation can make a big impact, especially if it can save a life. We can bring more voices into global conversations. With translations, tools, and resources like these, we are helping people who face the most difficult situations. Even with the most innovative language technology solutions, the goal is to connect with a human.

Let’s reach more people – “meet me in my language.” 

Read more community impact stories in our blogs: 

Community translation supports urgent COVID-19 response

In 2020, our community came together to translate critical public-facing content, so that more people could understand it and protect themselves. We translated millions of words into over 100 languages. Read about our community volunteers, French speaker Barbara Pissane, and Spanish speaker Maria Paula Gorgone. 

Our Haitian Creole volunteers provide a lifeline in Haiti

Jean has contributed 170,000 words for projects that help people understand their rights, look after their well-being, and get their needs met – from wheelchair provision to COVID-19 vaccine FAQs for children. Read about how Jean translates to help his local community get emergency assistance following the 2021 earthquake near his home in Haiti. 

Meet migrants and refugees in their language 

Arabic speakers Lilav and Christina spotlight refugee experiences of seeking refuge and needing answers in the face of conflict. Lilav dedicates her time to advocating human rights and languages. Christina is a translator and revisor who believes in globalization and diversity.

We are always amazed by our community’s support and would love for you to get involved. 

You can make a difference. “Meet me in my language.”

  1. Spread awareness #MeetMeInMyLanguage
  1. Volunteer 
  1. Fundraise or donate today 

Becoming a TWB volunteer

The Translators without Borders (TWB) Community has over 100,000 members from different countries and backgrounds. We help people get vital information and be heard, whatever language they speak. To date, we translated more than 85 million words into 200+ languages for 600+ partner nonprofit organizations. Over 40 million people have received vital information thanks to our community members.

You can be part of this. Read on to learn what it’s like to be part of TWB and how to join us!

Being a TWB community member

Being part of the TWB Community is more than translating – it’s a purpose, a charitable commitment to help people who need information – often lifesaving – in their language.

People join TWB for various reasons – to contribute to a good cause, get experience, learn, provide reliable information. Some people have experienced difficulties first-hand, and they join TWB to help others going through the same. Most often, it’s a combination of several factors that make each TWB experience unique.

Being a TWB community member is about:

The impact

When you join the TWB Community, you contribute your time and language skills for social good – to help your community, but also advocate linguistic diversity and inclusion. You help improve communication in various contexts, such as crisis response and mental health.

As a TWB community member, you understand the importance of communicating in the right language and through the right channel. You can see the impact of your contributions with every completed project – and it’s fulfilling. Because, when you translate important information from one language to another, you’re doing so much for people who need that information – you’re helping them learn how to protect themselves in a crisis, what to do during an earthquake or where to ask for help in case of harassment and abuse. You’re helping cast light on critical health topics, such as disease outbreaks or women’s reproductive health. You’re helping educate on nutrition and breastfeeding. You’re helping fight cholera during floods – and so much more.

The connection

As a TWB community member, you are part of the world’s largest community of language volunteers. You have access to our Forum and Platform, where you can connect with and get support from our Community team, language associates, project managers, and peers. To make the experience even more enjoyable for you, we organize interesting events, such as translation contents and LinkedIn lives, so we can get together and socialize.

The learning

In addition to the experience you gain by completing tasks, you also have access to our free courses on humanitarian translation and interpretation, machine translation, and post editing. We host webinars for you to learn about our work, organization, and the industry in general. Our Community team constantly seeks to provide you with an optimal TWB experience, so we’re always adding new opportunities for you to learn and gain new skills.

The growth

Being a TWB community member is rewarding in so many ways. We recognize your contributions and dedication through our Community Recognition Program. You can earn volunteer certificates, reference letters, and professional social media recommendations. If you share your story and TWB experience with us, we can include it in our materials, such as story maps and social media posts. This helps boost your professional profile and visibility, especially if you’re just starting out. 

By completing tasks, you can build a portfolio and learn so much to advance your career and explore ways in which you can work in the language industry. Through our partners’ professional opportunities, you can even find a job while volunteering!

How does it all look like in practice?

Joining TWB is easy. You need to register on our Platform, where you can complete your profile – add your language pairs, certificates, and more. You’ll instantly have access to our dashboard, with all currently available tasks ready for you to claim. You can choose tasks you’d like to contribute to, as long as you are available to complete them. Otherwise, there are no restrictions or requirements: you can volunteer as much or as little as you want. However, we do expect you to act responsibly and in line with our Code of Conduct – the information you provide can have a serious impact on people’s lives. We have quality assurance processes in place to ensure content quality, but also foster a community based on trust and accountability. If you ever feel unsure or uncomfortable, you can always get in touch with us for support.

Hear from your fellow community members!

“Volunteering as a translator for TWB also helps to keep your eyes peeled and see things through a different perspective. The world is your oyster, as they say, and it’s out there for you to discover. I feel TWB helps you to do so.”

Andrea Alvisi, TWB community member

“I was fascinated by everyone’s commitment to TWB’s work – regardless of age, gender, country, religion, and work situation. Even members of the TWB staff volunteer with TWB.”

Andreia Frazão, TWB community member

“Volunteering for TWB is easy, professionally rewarding and an incredibly wholesome experience. The TWB staff is always incredibly friendly and helpful! So far, I’ve donated about 300,000 words, it was a positive experience for me, and I will try to make it last as much as possible!”

Elena Fofiu, TWB community member

“Volunteering allows me to appreciate the difficulties imposed by language barriers and the impact on the wellbeing of people who live in communities where they don’t understand the local language.”

Nabil Salibi, TWB community member

“I have been a refugee, and I know what it takes to live in a population with different languages with language barrier problems. I chose to volunteer with TWB for several reasons – to help other nonprofits, improve my skills, and receive recognition, while helping my community in a country facing challenges with different languages.”

 Mohamed Abdihafid Issak, TWB community member

If you want to learn more about volunteering with TWB and sign up, visit the TWB language volunteer role page or sign up directly below!

Humanitarian voices

This World Humanitarian Day, August 19, 2022, we want to honor humanitarians everywhere by sharing our community’s voices. The UN theme for the celebration is “It takes a village” – whether you are a language lover, a teacher or a nonprofit worker, whatever you do to support people in difficult situations – you are a humanitarian. This is your story, too. We’re thankful to our global network of humanitarian volunteers, colleagues, and partners for sharing their stories of humanitarian impact. Follow the hashtag #TWBHumanitarian to see our community’s latest updates.

The TWB community, our team, volunteers, and supporters have been making a big impact on the lives of people all around the world. By translating vital materials, and helping build two-way communications tools, we’re opening up important conversations for more people, everywhere, whatever language they speak.

TWB's World Humanitarian Day 2022 image saying: It takes people. It takes the right language. #ItTakesAVillage

 #ItTakesAVillage

One word at a time – in the right languages. It takes a village, so we’re bringing people together to effectively respond to people’s needs. Last month, we shared our #RefugeesVoices blog, recording the stories of Lilav Mohamad Alarashi and Christina Hakim, Arabic speakers and valued TWB community members who have experience as or supporting refugees. 

To mark the occasion, we’re sharing more voices from our community. Chris Akili Lungu and Josias Ntirampeba share their accounts of being forced to flee their home countries and make new lives elsewhere. The stories are personal accounts of troubling times, by people who have made it their mission to use their language skills for good.

As a TWB community member, you can help make sure people get accurate answers fast, in a language they can understand. Learn more about the role, and sign up today.

Tell your story – tag #TWBHumanitarian

Have you supported with language or observed it in action in humanitarian aid? Share your story on social media and use the hashtag #TWBHumanitarian.

Today is a day to come together and show how language can make a real impact in humanitarian work (remember no punctuation or your hashtag won’t work). Tag us @Translators without Borders on LinkedIn and Facebook, @TranslatorsWB on Instagram or @CLEARGlobalOrg on Twitter, so we can share your stories.

Chris Akili Lungu tells his story

Chris Akili Lungu is a TWB Community member, social worker, and Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator working with an NGO supporting young people. Chris himself fled the Democratic Republic of Congo a few years ago. His story might be familiar.

Chris appeared on our LinkedIn Live panel discussion in June 2022 to mark World Refugee Day. We featured community members and partners who discussed the challenges facing displaced people, what they’re doing to help, and how you can get involved. Watch the recording on YouTube or LinkedIn.

Chris Akili Lungu, TWB community member and Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator, on language barriers and life as a refugee

I am Chris, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, currently living in Kampala, Uganda, and working with Soccer Without Borders, an international nonprofit organization that supports refugee youth living in Kampala and surrounding areas. In the past, I worked with Solidarity Eden Foundation as an Education Program Coordinator and English instructor. I helped hundreds of refugees to learn the English language: a vital tool for survival in Kampala given that Uganda is an English-speaking country. 

As a refugee myself from a French-speaking country (DR Congo) now living in a country where I did not speak any of the languages that were spoken, I knew what it was like. I had first-hand experience with the challenges that language barriers caused my fellow refugees, especially those from Burundi, South Sudan, and Congo 

From a lack of access to information to unemployment and even lack of access to legal and mental health services; I saw many people’s hope fading due to these language barriers which were creating a huge gap between them and the services they needed. These services in the host country, Uganda, provided people with a second chance in life, to explore the talents and skills they had acquired in their countries of origin.

Right after completing my own English training, I became an interpreter with the UNHCR and I helped to bridge this gap between the service providers and refugees in my community but I soon realized that it wasn’t enough. That’s why I decided to join Solidarity Eden Foundation as an English teacher and later on as the Education Program Coordinator. I am glad Translators without Borders still provides me with translation and revision opportunities to help other people struggling with language barriers.

– By Chris Akili Lungu

TWB community member Josias Ntirampeba shares his story

Josias Ntirampeba, TWB community member
Josias Ntirampeba is a student at the University of Nairobi’s Center for Translation and Interpretation. He will soon be graduating with a diploma in Community Interpretation.

The learning never stops

In 2015, my mother told me that learning never stops. She said this to encourage me to learn more when I felt like I was done with my studies. 

I was in my first year at university when I told my mother that in two years’ time I was going to finish school and start working to earn money and enjoy life. In her sweet words, she commented on my idea that it is good to work for money and enjoy life as much as possible, especially when I am enjoying my well-earned savings. 

When she sat with her children and grandchildren, she talked nonstop. She had incredible stories. I remember one day she told us a story of our grandfather who, when he was very young, went to Uganda to look for money. After he got there, he faced a lot of problems, especially language barriers. He spoke neither the Ugandan language nor English. It was very difficult for him to earn money. He wanted to go home but that wasn’t an option – he had no money for transportation. He said if he knew the languages spoken in Uganda, it would have been a great opportunity for him. 

He was skilled in many things, but at that time he failed to express his talents. He couldn’t go on stage and make people happy as he did in his home country. He was a famous humorist, and a great comedian, but the language barrier got him down. 

My mother turned to me and told me that I am her first child who went to college out of all her children and grandchildren. She said that in addition to the skills I learn at university, I need to know several languages. She told me that each country has its own languages and that talented people like me often need to travel abroad for professional reasons. 

At the time, I didn’t believe that one day I would have to leave my country. I told her that in Burundi, French is the language of work and I speak it well. She replied that sometimes, for better or for worse, there will always be reasons to travel abroad. She was sadly killed during the strikes which happened during former Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza’s third term. After her death, I finally understood that what she said was right: 

“Sometimes, for better or for worse, there will always be reasons to travel abroad.”

It was like a prophecy.

The language prophecy

I traveled to Kenya when I didn’t want to. I was forced to leave my homeland and when I arrived there in the Kakuma refugee camp, I faced the same language challenges that my grandfather had faced when he traveled to Uganda all those years ago. I didn’t know how to speak Swahili, I didn’t speak English fluently either, I only knew French and my mother tongue. I remembered all the stories my mother told us. I met many refugees who faced the same; none of us were able to go to a camp office and talk about our concerns on our own. We struggled to get jobs despite our skills and qualifications. The opportunities that came along the refugee path were limited, especially those that required us to be fluent in English and Swahili. Just like my grandfather, I couldn’t go home. I imagined a lot of my life was going to be like this. 

The trouble was, that I needed to remind myself of what they said when I was still in school in my native country. Everyone in the village, even the teachers, told me that I was a brilliant student. I excelled, and could always solve problems where others couldn’t. 

One day I was sitting alone in my house, the night felt too long, as did the day. I remembered that I am still capable, despite the problems I face, and realized I could overcome this language barrier. This was the best solution for many refugees who shared my problem. 

Learning languages and life skills

I am convinced that one way to overcome a problem is to accept it. The other is to fight it. Most of my neighbors from DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, Uganda, Pakistan, and Yemen don’t speak English or Swahili. They all communicate in their mother languages – and don’t understand the language of their neighbors. Somehow, we need to overcome this problem. I did my own research and realized that many organizations like the DRC (Danish Refugee Council), SAVIC, and all branches of DON BOSCO teach English for free. I passed on this information to fellow refugees. 

I was the first to register my name for a course near my home. Not everyone took up this opportunity simply because of the hardships of daily life. Often, we couldn’t attend classes, because we were too busy looking for manual labor to support our families. 

After a few days, I also had to leave class. I was curious. I had a smartphone and I decided to learn on my own simply because when I go to school, I only learn two hours a day, six hours a week. I wanted to learn English as quickly as possible. During the day, I’d hustle like the others, but at night, I started to teach myself until I was too tired to carry on. I dedicated myself to memorizing 50 new English words a day and I couldn’t eat or sleep if I didn’t remember every word. 

I downloaded a French-English dictionary, an English-Swahili dictionary, and a grammar book. I’d read them before bed and never slept before midnight. I conditioned myself

to wake up at 3 am to revise, as the day was spent struggling to obtain daily food. I taught myself not to give up when it gets tough. 

My perseverance rewarded me with fluency in English and Swahili. I came to this camp in 2019 and after a few months of dedicated language learning, I was able to communicate without a problem. With that, I got my first job at the IRC General Hospital and while working there, I started an English club in my neighborhood where I taught English every evening from 7 to 9 p.m. 

A few weeks after the English club was founded, the African Higher Education In Emergencies Network (AHEEN) awarded a scholarship to refugees, the first cohort in community interpreting. I applied, was selected, and will soon be graduating from the University of Nairobi, Center for Translation and Interpretation with a Diploma in Community Interpretation.

“Today, I am proud of my mother’s last words which encouraged me to work hard every day.”

I am also proud of my own efforts as today I am the president of the organization of students and refugees who are supported by AHEEN and Youth, Education and Sport (YES). These students are taking the community interpreting course at the University of Nairobi and the entrepreneurship course at MOI University. I translate for my local church and am one of the founders of INTER-FREE, a community-based organization whose aim is to provide professional interpreting and translation services to bridge communication gaps, and capacity building for interpreters and translators (including coaching, and mentoring). Our CBO is dedicated to supporting refugees and host communities, with the help of its volunteer members.

“As far as I go, as far as I come.”

– By Josias Ntirampeba

Add your voice to the conversation

Thank you to all our community members and supporters who already work hard to make global conversations accessible in a multitude of languages. With your help, we’re equipping humanitarians with the tools they need to communicate and support people effectively in the right languages. 

#ItTakesAVillage to make a difference. Please show solidarity with people who need it the most. Make communication about vital topics accessible in their languages.

Share your own experiences and stories with language in humanitarian aid with the hashtags #ItTakesAVillage and #TWBHumanitarian.

If you can, donate to help us reach more people.

If you speak one or more languages fluently, you could join our community to offer your language, translation, revision, or voiceover skills on a voluntary basis. Learn more about becoming part of our community. 

Refugee voices

Communicating and connecting as a refugee

Imagine being forced from your home because of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations. Seeking safety is dangerous. Especially when you find yourself somewhere new, when you don’t speak the language of the people around you, let alone the aid workers trying to help you. You are vulnerable to scammers and traffickers. You can’t ask the questions you want to ask, and you can’t get the information you need. That’s the story of people in all corners of the world: the story we’re telling today through the lens of our community members.

89.3 million people worldwide don’t have to imagine.

Refugees, migrants and forcibly displaced people deserve the opportunity to have their voices heard. Vulnerable people face some of the most difficult situations imaginable. Marginalized at the edges of society, too often their needs and concerns go unmet. Together, we can change that.

How can we show solidarity with refugees?

Photo of a woman cooking

When we put people first, when we prioritize access to vital services, resources and information, we can better support their wellbeing, health, safety and education. When we do so in the languages people speak, their worlds, which have already been turned upside down, become a little fairer. They get to know their rights, they can make informed decisions, their opportunities grow, and they can participate in dialogue that matters to them. 

Our members bring diverse experiences to the TWB community, of resilience, of overcoming difficult journeys, of integrating into new communities, and understanding their identities. Many have been displaced from their homes, and still find time to dedicate to translating, reviewing and recording voice-overs so they can help people elsewhere. We want to share their voices with you, and start a conversation. This is part of our movement to listen to marginalized voices everywhere, whatever language they speak. Learn more about our Four Billion Conversations movement

Read these community member stories

Lilav Mohamad Alarashi and Christina Hakim are Arabic speakers and valued TWB community members who have both contributed their stories to spotlight real-life refugee experiences in the world today.

Lilav’s story of war and its archenemy, hope

Can you imagine yourself as a child during a war, with your playgrounds replaced by battlefields filled with dead bodies, blood, and rubble?

Or, for example, all the delight of colors which were shining in your life disappeared, and now you are haunted by the dust of war and the smell of death wherever you turn?

Have you ever imagined that your existence in your own home would turn into a nightmare that can transform your whole life into a living hell?

These horrible imaginations are exactly what thousands of children and refugees experience today in several places around the world. Wars and conflicts can truly destroy everyone’s future and leave them living in very bad conditions, where they have to start from zero. They face an obscure life and future. Loss and waiting are the two biggest pains experienced by refugees during their long journey of displacement, and every refugee’s heart is heavy with fear and anticipation.

Besides all of that, the scars and memories will bleed deeply even if they move to safe settings where they can be in peace.

Wars never stop killing everything, but there is always a little hope hidden away in every refugee’ tear that will never fade/disappear.

Translators without Borders and its partner non-governmental organizations provide me with an opportunity as a translator and reviser to help refugees through the delivery of the needed words, information, and knowledge in their language, allowing us all to be there for every refugee who is facing a challenge in a foreign country and a foreign language.

Therefore, I will use every skill I have such as translation experience and every education I’ve obtained, such as law, to make a difference in this universe.

Read in Arabic / اقرأ المدوّنة باللّغة العربيّة

Christina’s day in a life of a refugee

I write in English, hoping to reach a wider audience as I’m sure it is the story of every human, regardless of nationality, who seeks to earn enough to provide for their family, to get out of their country, and bring them up if they’re lucky enough. At times, their motherland has failed to secure them their basic rights of survival as humans; financial and social stability, to name the most vital.

The reasons that pushed that young lady to leave her country, the mother or father who found no choice but to do that, the brother… every story is the same!

I am a Lebanese citizen who, like most migrants, found herself in a no-way-back situation. There’s nothing but to look forward to her children’s future outside of her homeland.

It’s still unofficially stated that “Lebanese” people are defined as refugees. Away from the literal classification of the word, the rush of miseries that hit the country since the #August2020blast and instability has pushed its people to migrate in remarkable numbers for years now.

In the World Happiness Report for the year 2022 issued by the United Nations, Lebanon ranked first in the Arab world among the least happy, and second among the most miserable people after Afghanistan.

What can be more devastating than someone taking the decision to leave behind their child, wife, sibling, parents, neighbor; desperate about a country that is one of the most beautiful on earth, known for its nature, culture, resources and memories?

You reach your host land, and here we face two scenarios: 

The first, a person who flees alone.

The second, a person leaving with their family. And here I mean spouse and children, not parents; it’s incredibly rare to find elderly people who come to terms with leaving their roots behind, whatever the circumstances. 

If you choose to flee alone, if you’re unable to bring your family with you to your host country, your days are never the same again. You live through loneliness, nostalgia with every minute passed, missing the smells, the smiles. What comes next is more dreadful, a constant quest to find the right opportunity, with the least humiliation possible and everything that comes with it. Now how do you go about living? That all depends on your chance of finding a well-paid job, otherwise you’ll end up in a shared apartment with people who have become refugees for the same reasons you have.

What now? You miss your roots? Your only way to connect with them is to text and call. I have known Filippinos who haven’t visited their families in years!

Have a look around when you’re on your commute to work and you can see, be it early morning or late at night. Across Europe, African people gather under a tree with no place to sleep, spending their nights in parks; Egyptians, Syrians, Algerians all share the same destiny, scattered around the world. 

What about your work: remotely located and harsh conditions, with overbearing managers… how much more can you take? Would you respect yourself in that moment and have the courage to change jobs or even return back to your home country?

Sadly speaking, this is the life of every refugee, day-dreaming of the moment they might be reunited with their homeland; this is the life of every human who has lost their existence in their own country.

Community conversation: World Refugee Day

Listening to refugees' voices - World Refugee Day LinkedIn Live announcement

On June 20, 2022 we marked World Refugee Day with an online panel discussion. We invited a number of experts to speak about their experiences of forced migration. This year’s theme was whoever, wherever, whenever. It’s a message of inclusivity, reminding people that all refugees deserve our solidarity and support whatever their nationality, religion, or language. 

You can watch the recording here.

What barriers do refugees, migrants and displaced people face?

Ahmed Ali Saleh hosted the event. Ahmed has spent 3 years working as a National Capacity Building Officer in Nigeria, and is currently a Program Manager for CLEAR Global. He explained how CLEAR Global is committed to helping all refugees overcome communication barriers. Whether fleeing Myanmar, Venezuela, Nigeria, Ukraine, or somewhere else, we work to connect people with the aid and services they need. Our solutions bridge the language and communication gaps too many people face.

 “In the course of implementing training programs, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to Borno’s border communities. The state borders three different countries, and this gave me the chance to witness firsthand people with refugee status who cannot speak the language of the country that is hosting them. Equally, the communities hosting them do not speak their language. That is quite challenging. You can see the enthusiasm when we speak their language – they know you understand them very, very well.”

Ahmed Ali Saleh

Joining us, we had Mira Hamour, a Syrian-Canadian documentary filmmaker and producer of Syria’s Tent Cities. Mira spoke about the experience of documenting the Syrian refugee crisis, visiting camps in Jordan and Lebanon as well as closer to home in Toronto and Ontario. She has lived and worked with relocated refugees in host communities.

 “I saw very closely how language and lack of education can be a barrier for these children.”

Mira Hamour

Next on the panel was Chris Akili Lungu, a TWB Community member and social worker and monitoring and evaluation associate working with Soccer Without Borders, an NGO supporting young people. Chris himself fled the Democratic Republic of Congo a few years ago. His story is familiar in our community:

“Through organizations like TWB and Soccer Without Borders, I am glad to be able to help refugees who find themselves in similar situations to me.”

Chris Akili Lungu

And finally, Katya Seriekh is a talent attraction manager working with the International Committee of the Red Cross, based in Brussels. The organization works with professionals including interpreters and translators to make sure migrants and refugees get the protection they need. 

“Language is very important. The words spoken are not everything. It’s very important to establish a connection and establish a relationship of trust. That’s why it’s very important to speak the languages of the people we’re supporting.”

Katya Seriekh

Our participants discussed the challenges facing displaced people, what they’re doing to help, and how you can get involved. Bringing together speakers from across our team, our community and our partners, this LinkedIn Live is an opportunity to learn from each other and understand how we can build a stronger movement together. 

Watch the recording below.

Amplify refugee voices

The TWB Community and our parent organization CLEAR Global will continue to share the stories of refugees, migrants, and forcibly displaced people. This is why we do what we do – we build communities, research communication and develop language technology solutions because we believe that every person has the right to get vital information and be heard, whatever language they speak. Our community members are making information accessible to more people in more languages. Everyone should have a say in their lives and know how to find safety and get help. We exist to listen and connect with people everywhere; thank you for taking the time to read about the experiences of some of our community members. Watch this space for more community voices.

You can help us amplify the voices of refugees: 

Join our community.

Read more community stories.

Contribute your own story on the TWB blog.

Written by Danielle Moore, Communications Officer at TWB/CLEAR Global

Guest writers: Lilav Mohamad Alarashi and Christina Hakim, TWB Community members and translators

Women’s words

Guest post on International Women’s day by Rachel Pierce, TWB community member.

To #BreakTheBias in the language industry, women will need strength, solidarity, and specialization.

International Women’s Day is a good time to assess where the language services industry is in terms of gender equality, and what we can do to advance the agenda.

State of the industry

By all accounts, business is booming. When COVID-19 put the planet on lockdown, the demand for online communication skyrocketed. Businesses had to upgrade their IT infrastructure to support telework, find novel ways to reach customers in their own homes, and rewrite policies and procedures encompassing “the new normal.” The industry grew more than US$5 billion from 2019 to 2021 and continues to rise (Redokun, 2022).

On the gender equality front, things don’t look so encouraging. Although 70% of linguists are women (CSA, 2017), the language services industry is owned and operated by men. Many of the leading language service providers (LSPs) have also become language technology providers. That means the sector is increasingly technology-driven (another field where women are underrepresented). 

RankCompany2020 revenue, in USD millions (CSA, 2021)Ratio of women to men in executive positions
1RWS Holdings$972.781:8 (11.1%)
2TransPerfect$852.423:11 (21.5%)
3Lionbridge$7393:11 (21.5%)
4LanguageLine Solutions$6182:6 (25%)
5Keywords Studios$426.443:6 (33.3%)
Gender representation in senior management at the Top 5 translation companies

How LSPs can #BreakTheBias

As global companies, LSPs should be pioneers in supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Here are some specific measures company owners can take right away to improve: 

  • Perform gender pay gap audits and launch other forward-looking DEI initiatives.
  • Be transparent and accountable. Publish the numbers. Gather regular feedback on what’s working (and what’s not) and adapt accordingly.
  • Pursue partnerships to support women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to ensure that the future of machine-assisted translation is open to women.
International Women Day - 4 women hold a sign reading Break the bias.

How we can #BreakTheBias

Whether it’s nature or nurture, women tend to excel at empathy and emotional intelligence. Those are powerful traits we can leverage in our personal and professional lives. But there are other skills that may not come naturally or may take more effort to develop. We can expect change to come from three areas: 

Strength

As women, we can meet other people’s needs but still protect and prioritize our own. In our profession, that means setting boundaries around how much we’re worth and what kinds of projects we’ll accept. Two specific points you may want to consider:

  • Get comfortable talking about money. Translation is usually paid by the word, which can be confusing and vague. And once a project is over, it’s easy to underestimate how long it took and how painful it was (much like childbirth!). Track your time on every project and calculate how much you made per hour. Then you’ll know how fast you are at specific types of content and tools.
  • You don’t have to say Yes. Let me repeat that: You don’t have to say Yes. Even when you’re struggling financially. Emotions are high when you’re worried about money, so you may be inclined to accept something unacceptable. Don’t believe that low rates are the industry “norm.” If an offer from an LSP feels wrong, it probably is. Review the details. Send them a polite email saying, “Thank you, but I can’t accept this.” You will feel empowered, and it will only make you look more valuable.

Solidarity

Solidarity is also strength — in numbers. Working together and supporting other women not only furthers our cause, but it also helps combat the loneliness and fear that can come with freelancing.

  • Support women and minority owned businesses any way you can. 
  • Follow other women on social media and celebrate one another’s achievements.
  • Join a mentoring program, which can be a powerful learning experience for new and veteran linguists alike.
  • Find like-minded women to work with: partner up, join professional women’s organizations in your area, or form a translators collective. 
  • Share information, leads, and advice generously and without expectation. 

Specialization

Remember how I said business is booming in the language services industry? That means job prospects are strong. But the industry is changing and we need to be part of the vision.

  • If you’re starting out in your career, think about your areas of interest and expertise. General subject matter is good for beginners and doesn’t require significant research. But machines can handle general subject matter, so that’s not where the future lies.
  • Once you have experience, pick one or two specializations and develop your potential in those areas. Ask yourself what you’re good at and what you enjoy.
  • Above all, don’t worry. You will not be out of a job in 10 years. Machines can’t translate literature. Machines can’t convincingly sell products and services. Machines can’t convey depth of emotion while interpreting for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But you can.

Happy International Women’s Day!

Sources

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International Women Day - Rachel Pierce, writer.

Rachel Pierce is a US-based French to English freelancer using her 20 years of industry experience to improve the gender balance and make an impact — one word at a time. She is certified by the American Translators Association (ATA) and l’Ordre des traducteurs terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ). She has a master’s degree in French Studies from American University in Washington, DC, and a bachelor’s degree in French Language and Literature from Mary Washington in Virginia. Rachel is a member of Translators without Borders’ volunteer community, the National Language Service Corps, and Women in Localization. Follow her on LinkedIn and Twitter.