Translators without Borders

Testimonials

Having been waiting for quite a long time in TWB portal as I was trying to catch onto something to do in my spare time, and I’ve just recently got some medical documents to translate about serious viral diseases, treatment and prevention methods for the First Aid App of Red Cross. It is rather a spark to start everything. So, I will be continuing to contribute as a volunteer translator for TWB. And I am glad that I’m making a difference out there because even the slightest help matters regarding the global issues that are still making people -and possibly other species- to suffer from various reasons.

Omer K.

Humanitarian translation differs from other translation types. In times of humanitarian emergencies, the most basic of phrases can change and save lives. The wonderful TWB community aids people in need to get vital information in the language they speak. Language barriers need to be overcome. Thank you, TWB for the opportunity to help people!

Stefan D.

I am grateful to Translators without Borders for providing us with a platform that enables us to volunteer our best skills, contribute to projects that do good in the world and be part of a giving community of translators. We must remember that our work as translators is not just a job, but a means to connect the world in good times and bad times.

Rosina O.

I have translated and revised many stories and projects! To be honest, that wasn’t easy for me! I was a witness behind the screen for hundreds or maybe thousands of stories, struggles, conflicts, violations for women, children, vulnerable and marginalized people! I’m not exaggerating if I said sometimes everything go out of my control and I found myself worry about those people and their lives. Human translation shows the best version of you! Happy that I’m a member in TWB family!

Dalia N.
Gladis

I joined TWB in 2014 because I believe that together we can bring about the change. It was one of the best decisions I have made. It has broadened my horizons and my skills. By allowing me to reach millions of people in need, to make a change in their lives by making information available in the language they understand, it has also enriched me spiritually. It is my way of standing up for those in need, standing up against inequality, against injustice, against poverty and hunger.

Gladis A.
Elisabetta

You are not alone. TWB is, first of all, a very large community of translators, that you can access for advice and support. There are also plenty of resources to learn about the different aspects of the organisation and how to complete a task. They’re very useful, especially whilst completing your first task. TWB is also a self-development journey and you can learn a lot, as you go along helping others access valuable information.

Elisabetta I.
Jean Bellefleur

I feel very proud and honored to put my skills to work, accompanying TWB to reach out to the people of Haiti and elsewhere where too many languages are left out of important discussions. Languages matter the most in a time of great humanitarian crisis. Without the cooperation of the whole TWB team, we couldn’t make it.

Jean B.

It is absolutely critical to our work that we can engage with disabled fans and other stakeholders across Europe, in a language that they understand. As a small team, we can’t speak every language, so we rely massively on Translators without Borders to help us to communicate. Communication is key to everything we do, and that is why Translators without Borders is such an invaluable asset to us.

Michael RiceMedia and Communications ManagerCentre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE)

MediLingua is a medical translations company, and so we understand the importance of medical information. We know how incorrect health information can seriously threaten one’s health. We know that information in a language the reader does not understand is useless. On behalf of the localization world, Translators without Borders helps humanitarian organizations to do what they are good at (treating patients, rescuing earthquake victims and Syrian refugees) by providing what we are good at – translation. This is of crucial importance, and that’s why MediLingua proudly sponsors Translators without Borders. On a personal level I happily represent the organization as one of its ambassadors!

Simon AndriesenCEOMediLingua Medical Translations

Lionbridge is honoured to support Translators without Borders, both directly as a Diamond sponsor for many years, but also by encouraging our local employees to engage in fundraising efforts, translation and project management volunteering, and other special projects.

Our ‘pride’ of Lions is deeply committed to the causes championed by Translators without Borders’ tireless efforts. Lionbridge’s more than 6,000 employees are humbled to know that they are contributing to projects such as the Words of Relief program which eases communication for refugees in crisis-torn areas, or the quick language response which helped save lives during the search and rescue efforts after the Nepali earthquake, and funding ongoing efforts to ensure that critical healthcare information reaches an estimated to 3.3 million people every month through the Wiki Project Med Foundation collaboration. Through more than 40 million words, in almost 200 language pairs, Translators without Borders is making a real difference.

Paula Barbary ShannonChief Sales Officer, SVPLionbridge

The ability of Wikipedia to provide free, accurate, and accessible health care content to people in their native languages is possible in large part because of TWB.

Lucas Rosnau, Translation Coordinator, WikiProject Med Foundation

I don’t think any organization by itself, including us, can internally turn around all that information through all those platforms. That is why there is an important link between the work that we do – gathering and providing information – and Translators without Borders, who help us translate all that information.

Stijn Aelbers, Humanitarian Advisor, Internews

During a crisis where information and effective communicating are so important, the work of Translators without Borders ensures that humanitarian organizations working within the response are able to get information in local languages to the people in need.

James Purcell, Humanitarian Programme Manager for DFID

This is vital work, and translation makes the difference. Your professionalism … for this piece of work is impressive and the impact it will have on our Arabic speaking audience, which includes those Syrians directly affected by this crisis, will be profound.

Andrew Alspach, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

It is both amazing and also very comforting and inspiring to see people donate their time and skills to defend the principles of action and the ideas of humanitarian assistance.

Olivier Bluteau, Field Manager for Doctors without Borders

On behalf of Fairstart Global, we wish to thank you for your fantastic work, assisting the efforts to improve foster care and orphanage systems in Japan. Thanks to TWB, our caregiver and leader training programs are now available in Japanese at http://www.fairstartglobaljapan.org and we feel confident that our programs will support efforts to provide Japanese children with quality care educated foster parents.

Thanks again TWB for your invaluable help to create quality care for the 100 million children who grow up without parental care!

Niels Peter Rygaard, DPA authorized psychologist, founder of Fairstart Global, which trains orphanage workers around the world

As Typhoon Haiyan approached the coastline of the Philippines, Humanity Road reached out to Translators without Borders for assistance. Their response to our request was fast and within hours we had our first translation assistance. They helped monitor social media in language and translated text and video messages emerging in social media.  The support provided by Translators without Borders helped save lives and also provided message relay support to reunite families who were rescued.

Chris Thompson, President and Chairman of the Board, Humanity Road, when honoring TWB with the DaVinci Award

It is extremely important to provide medically accurate and easy to understand Ebola information in a community’s local language. Our posters, leaflets and video materials are being used across West Africa: in shops, hotels and banks, in clinics, hospitals and mining sites. They are also present in airports and at a number of checkpoints. The use of these materials would simply not be so widespread without the work of Translators without Borders to help get this medical advice to the people who need it most.

Dr Doug Quarry, Group Medical Director, Medical Information and Analysis at International SOS:

Language is central to all of our education efforts. Health education material is useless to people who cannot understand the language in which it is written. TWB greatly extends the reach of our programs and enables us to fully serve remote areas.

Allison Kozicharow, Board Member, WiRED International Health Education and Information

I just wanted to thank you sincerely for all of your hard work coordinating these translations. They look wonderful and have generated lovely responses. I hope we can push them out fast enough to refugees so they really make an impact!

Meena Bhandari, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

BIG thanks to Translators without Borders!

The ability of Wikipedia to provide free, accurate, and accessible health care content to people in their native languages is possible in large part because of TWB.

From February 2015 to February 2016, we added roughly 712 health care articles in 54 languages using TWB volunteers.  Great work is being done in collaboration with TWB.

Lucas Rosnau, Translation Coordinator, WikiProject Med Foundation

We work with vulnerable populations of women, who often speak only their native languages. Translators help us truly understand the challenges they face, including details about their living conditions, or other safety and health risks, which is critical. At the same time, it helps us adapt our services to the local culture, and that includes being delivered in the local language.  If the beneficiaries do not feel that they are being heard or that our services are culturally appropriate, we will not be successful.

Extract from an interview with Sanni Bundgaard, Technical Advisor, Gender-Based Violence Program, International Rescue Committee

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