Consultant, translator: English to Chichewa, part-time

Reports to: Resources Coordinator

Term Position: Approximately 6 months, 7,000 to 12,000 words to translate

Organization Description:

Farm Radio International (FRI) is a Canadian international non-governmental organization focused on improving the lives of rural African communities through the world’s most accessible communication tool: Radio. We partner with hundreds of radio stations across 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and have offices in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania, Senegal and Uganda. Together, we empower tens of millions of smallholder farmers with transformative information and opportunities, so they have a stronger voice in their own development.

Project Description:

The current COVID-19 pandemic demands exceptional communication efforts, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where access to quality information and communication is extremely low, especially among women and marginalized groups. There is an urgent need for efforts to counter misinformation, increase confidence in vaccines, and support demand (when vaccines are available) to be timely and responsive to the needs of rural communities. Vaccine inequity is becoming a global issue with growing awareness of the importance of bringing the pandemic under control, including by increasing immunization rates in sub-Saharan Africa.

The objective of this project is to organize 2 to 3 month information campaigns focusing on three main priorities, namely 1) prevention through public health measures, 2) confidence in vaccines and 3) gender equality, while simultaneously addressing specific national concerns.

As part of this project, Farm Radio International will create a range of resources, which we want to offer in relevant African languages ​​in the countries where we work. Your role will be to provide these translation services for a total of 7,000 to 12,000 words.

Description of tasks:

The tasks to be carried out by the consultant are:

• Translate the documents provided by FRI (English to Chichewa) while retaining the same meaning of the original document and without modifying or omitting content.
• Please Note: A given term or concept may require further explanation for it to carry the same meaning in the language of translation as it does in the original. This additional interpretation is required as necessary.
• Avoid translating using GOOGLE TRANSLATE (or similar services)
• Respect the style and format of the document provided when translating
• Respect the style of writing, which is written to be read aloud
• Record the translation in audio format, if required

Consultant selection criteria:

• Have at least five years of relevant practical experience translating English to Chichewa;
• Have a proven knowledge in the translation and revision of scientific and technical documents, in particular on health issues;
• Have a good knowledge of the regional and international context in terms of gender;
• Have a good command of Microsoft programs, in particular the Word program;
• Be reliable with good communication; and
• Be available to begin translations immediately.

Documents to submit:

• Curriculum Vitae and a cover letter
• Three written examples of your translation work from English to Chichewa
• A price per word, or per page of 300 words

Please note: You are also required to complete a short translation test via Google Forms to demonstrate your skills. The results will be reviewed and taken into account as part of the selection process. Click here to take the test.**