Translators Are Supporting Ukraine
And you can too.
We won’t reiterate the news. That is not our place. But we do feel it’s our duty to use the platform we have to source and forward information about the current situation in Ukraine, especially the efforts translators and interpreters are putting in to support those affected. We urge fellow companies in the language industry to do the same.
It is no wonder the online translation community (multiethnic, multilingual and multicultural as it is) is banding together to organize support, and to provide their services for those in need. What follows is a list of resources translators, interpreters and professional organizations have created to support Ukrainians.
Translators offering direct support
Translators are self-organizing to provide colleagues in Ukraine with various resources and immediate support. In this thread, Erik Hansson and his followers are sharing information on the direct support they can provide, including translation services and accommodation. To join in, post what type of help you can provide with the hashtag #ukraine_support_xl8:
Language support and volunteering
Of course, the biggest source of translator support is linguistic, and many associations and individuals are offering help.
🟨 FIT Europe is forwarding information on all kinds of translation and interpreting support their members are providing:
🟦 Translators without Borders, a well-known organization that provides translation and interpreting support in humanitarian efforts worldwide is handling a variety of documents. They’re currently seeking translators for Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Hungarian, Czech, Romanian, Moldovan and German.
🟨 Respond: Crisis Translation is another organization that “[supports] NGOs, nonprofits, human rights groups, asylum lawyers, and migrants with any and all translation or interpreting work that they need.” They support various languages, and are currently in need of Russian and Ukranian translators specifically.
🟦 Translating for Humanity, a Romanian initiative that mostly handles pro bono medical translations, is gathering a database of Ukrainian — Romanian translators for the currently incoming refugees into Romania.
🟨 Several Polish translation organizations have also banded together to compile a database of Polish translators and interpreters for refugees in Poland. Translators can contact the organizations directly or fill in a form to enter the database and be contacted should the need for their support arise.
🟦 LSP My Language Hub is providing Ukrainian language services to those in need:
🟨 In addition to organizations’ concerted efforts, there are a number of informal initiatives and individuals providing several types of linguistic support, for example:
- a multilingual phrasebook for Ukrainian refugees
- a database of US lawyers and translators that can help Ukrainian refugees in the USA
- many other individuals offering their help and sharing information.
Linguists are still needed
Here are some ways you can get involved and provide your translation expertise to those in need:
Paid opportunities
📢 Laura Santo of the Translation House is urgently looking for medical translators from Ukranian into English and then English into Polish, for a Ukranian hospital evacuating children to Poland.
📢 Entre les lignes Agency is looking for Ukrainian translators for a health care client that wants to launch online mental health support for free for all Ukrainian citizens.
📢 TAULT Agency is looking for literary translators from Ukrainian and Russian into English (and other services) to help the increasing demand for translated Ukrainian literature.
Volunteer opportunities
📢 Join Tłumacze dla Ukrainy to volunteer as a Polish translator or interpreter for refugees in Poland.
📢 Join Translators without Borders and CLEAR Global as a translator for Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Hungarian, Czech, Romanian, Moldovan and German to help in translating glossaries, humanitarian principles and tools to support interpreters and translators in the region.
📢 Join Translating for Humanity as a Ukrainian — Romanian translator.
📢 Join Respond: Crisis Translation as a Russian/Ukrainian translator.
Donations for Ukrainian citizens
If you’d like to provide financial support directly to Ukrainian citizens and troops, here’s a list of trusted organizations:
Finally, we’d like to take a moment to acknowledge that the current news cycle, even if you’re not in direct contact with the situation, can be overwhelming. Additionally, directly working with victims of conflict, especially acting as their interpreter, can cause massive vicarious trauma. If you are feeling the impact, please consult these resources or reach out to a mental health professional:
