As soon as GRS launched our SKILLZ COVID-19 RESPONSE Curriculum in early April, we heard from partners around the globe who were eager to get versions in their local language. In a tremendous show of teamwork, several partners came together to quickly assist in pro-bono translating. Versions are now available in French, Chichewa, KiSwahili, and Portugese, with more on the way.
The Chichewa translations were completed by Henry Chingombe, a Master Trainer with GRS, with additional support from Youth Wave Malawi, an innovative, youth-led NGO advocating for youth-driven change, and one of GRS’s newest partners in Malawi.
The kiSwahili translations were completed by Oriti Arwa, an educator and artist in Kenya, with facilitation by longtime GRS supporter Liz Okoth, and additional support from Nancy Waweru, a member of Vijana Amani Pamoja, one of Grassroot Soccer’s original partners.
For help translating into French, GRS did not have to look far. Sarita Sehgal, a public health partnership and development specialist who has been working with GRS to enhance our collective impact through partnerships, jumped right in.
Portuguese translations were supported for both Mozambican and Angolan context. Estelle Dogbe, the first Executive Director of GRS’s long-term partner Youth Empowerment Development Initiative in Nigeria, supported the translation into Portuguese for the Angola context. Estelle is currently heading an emergency shelter for youth in Angola. The team at Girl Child Rights (GCR) supported the Portuguese translation of the curriculum for the Mozambique context. GCR is a local Mozambican organization who seeks to support young girls through empowerment, knowledge, and greater access to quality health, social, and protective services. GCR’s and GRS’s’ most recent work together aims to amplify the voices of young women and girls to evoke change around response planning during national and global emergencies.
The Portuguese translation was reviewed by Estela David, a Mozambican citizen currently in the U.S. pursuing her undergraduate degree. Estela was looking to support her country while abroad and also express her gratitude and admiration to the Peace Corps, a long standing partner of GRS.
The Spanish translation of the curriculum was completed by Donna Bean, a returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) from Mozambique and Public Health Nurse in Alaska supporting TB and COVID-19 efforts. As a native Spanish speaker whose mother immigrated from Mexico, Donna was looking to provide support and give back during the pandemic.
The Spanish translation review was completed by Janis Luna, a RPCV from Mozambique who currently still resides in the country as a director of an international school. Janis participated in a GRS training and led a SKILLZ camp while a Peace Corps volunteer in Mozambique. She wanted to support both GRS and the international community in the global response to COVID-19.
A huge GRS KILO!!! goes out to those partners who helped with translations for this collaborative effort. We’re truly grateful for this show of teamwork.