DANBURY, CT USA –31 August 2016. The Translators without Borders (TWB) Words of Relief project has been named as an award winner in the 2016 Microsoft //oneweek Hackathon in the non-profit category. The Microsoft Hackathon is a global event that brings Microsoft employees together to create, innovate and hack on ideas that inspire them. Microsoft Philanthropies sponsored the Hack for Good challenge and non-profit customer category where employees use their tech and professional skills to hack on new ideas while partnering with non-profit partners to help address some of the world’s biggest societal problems.
When asked about the impact of receiving an award such as this, Aimee Ansari, TWB Executive Director said, “Translators without Borders is dedicated to providing translation and language solutions for aid workers and affected populations during and immediately following a crisis – and this grant allows us to explore technology solutions to improve that response. Being selected for this award is a great recognition of the ongoing crisis response work of Translators without Borders. It is a strong demonstration of the partnership we have with Microsoft to improve humanitarian response through language and creative technology solutions.”
Words of Relief (WoR) is the first crisis relief translation network to improve communications with communities during and after a humanitarian crisis. The project aims to eliminate linguistic barriers that can impede vital relief efforts by providing innovative, timely and suitable language and content solutions relevant to the situation. Translators without Borders received the Microsoft Technology for Good grant in 2014 and it was used to develop a multi-device app for crisis relief. The App, launched in 2014 and entitled Words of Relief Digital Exchange (WoRDE), is currently helping to improve communications during crises between affected communities and aid workers when they do not speak the same language by acting as a repository for pre-translated crisis content in local languages.
The Microsoft Philanthropies Hack for Good award includes a cash grant, software, hardware and Azure cloud-based services.
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Please direct all media enquiries for Translators without Borders to Amy Rose Mc Govern, Director of External Affairs [email protected]
