Translators Without Borders receives major sponsorship support

Source: Translators without Borders

Translators without Borders, a not-for-profit focused on spreading knowledge through humanitarian translations,  announced its initial round of sponsors who have pledged their support to help the translations reach more people around the world. The sponsors are being unveiled this week at Localization World Barcelona, 14 – 16 June, where Translators without Borders is also holding its semi-annual board meeting.

“The outpouring of financial support in the last few months is truly humbling,” said Lori Thicke, founder of Translators without Borders, and General Manager of Lexcelera. “It is so exciting to see how our work is expanding and becoming an industry-wide effort to increase the transfer of knowledge to people who need it around the world.”

Since the devastating Haiti earthquake 18 months ago, the localization industry’s support in offering humanitarian translations has been extraordinary. As a result, Translators without Borders has been able to build an organization and technological framework to significantly increase its ability to offer help. Last year, the non-profit added a board and an executive committee to steer the organization. Progress has centered around several critical tasks: development of a technology platform with Proz.com, establishment as a not-for-profit organization based in the U.S., design of a brand new website, and creation of a sustainable financial support system.

As part of the technology platform, Translators without Borders and Proz.com recently announced development of a new fully automated Translation Center for NGOs. As a result, Translators without Borders is now able to provide free translations to literally hundreds of non-profits by automatically linking volunteers to projects that need translation.

NGOs are evaluated by Translators without Borders executive committee prior to receiving help to ensure that their needs and their outreach fit within the criteria established by the organization.

The financial support provided by sponsors is critical to sustaining and growing the organization. Currently all work for Translators without Borders is volunteer. In order to grow, Translators without Borders needs to hire a program coordinator to lead the initiative to assist more NGOs in more languages, including emerging languages such as Kiswahili.

The organization hopes to do so by the end of this year.

In addition to the generous financial support from the localization industry, Translators without Borders has received a wealth of in-kind donations from localization and technology providers from around the world.

See: Translators without Borders