Business Details
33 Years
experience
Emergency
services
Your Partner in Multilingual Humanitarian Communication
Founded in 1993, Translators without Borders (TWB) is a global nonprofit dedicated to bridging language gaps in humanitarian and development efforts. Our mission centers on empowering communities by providing critical information in languages people understand, ensuring equitable access to knowledge during crises and beyond. With over 100,000 volunteer linguists, we specialize in crisis response, health education, and capacity-building initiatives across under-resourced regions. Our expertise lies in rapid translation services, multilingual chatbot technology, and training local translators to address urgent communication needs. We operate with a commitment to transparency, ethical standards, and collaboration with humanitarian agencies worldwide.Our work has directly impacted millions through initiatives like Words of Relief, which standardizes crisis communication, and Gamayun, a language equality initiative leveraging AI for marginalized languages. By prioritizing community-driven solutions, we amplify voices often excluded from global dialogues. Our leadership in language technology and humanitarian translation has earned trust from organizations like the United Nations and the Red Cross. We maintain rigorous quality assurance processes to ensure accuracy in high-stakes contexts, from pandemic responses to refugee crises. Our long-term vision focuses on sustainable language infrastructure to foster inclusive global communication.
Services
Crisis translation
Language technology
Interpreter training
Health education materials
Multilingual chatbots
Details
- Year established: 1993
Highlights and features
- Over 100,000 volunteer linguists across 150+ languages
- Pioneered crisis response translation networks like Words of Relief
- Developed AI-powered tools for marginalized languages through Gamayun
- Proven track record in pandemic and disaster response since 1993
- Trusted partner of UN agencies, Red Cross, and Mdecins Sans Frontires
What people say
Lifesaving translations
Reliable crisis response
Innovative technology
Expert volunteers
Global impact
Services
Crisis translation
We deliver rapid, accurate translations during humanitarian crises, converting critical information about health, safety, and rights into local languages. Our network provides real-time support for disaster response, refugee integration, and pandemic communication. With trained translators in 150+ languages, we ensure vital messages reach affected communities in culturally appropriate formats.
Language technology
Our Gamayun initiative develops AI solutions for marginalized languages, creating machine translation systems and multilingual chatbots. These tools enhance two-way communication between aid organizations and communities with limited digital infrastructure. We focus on sustainability through open-source platforms and local capacity building.
Interpreter training
We train local translators in crisis zones and underserved regions, prioritizing languages with limited translation resources. Our programs include certification courses, terminology standardization, and emergency interpreting protocols. Graduates join our global network, improving communication in healthcare, legal, and humanitarian contexts.
Health education materials
We translate public health resources, medical guidelines, and prevention campaigns into over 100 languages. Our work supports disease prevention, vaccination programs, and healthcare access in low-resource settings. We collaborate with WHO and medical NGOs to ensure technical accuracy and cultural relevance.
Multilingual chatbots
Our Uji and Shehu chatbots provide 24/7 health information in local languages via SMS and messaging apps. These AI systems answer questions about pandemics, epidemics, and emergency services while collecting community feedback for aid organizations. They operate in conflict zones and areas with limited internet connectivity.
People
Lori Thicke
Co-Founder
Co-founded Translators without Borders in 1993 after recognizing language barriers in humanitarian crises. Led the organization's initial growth while advocating for ethical translation standards in global aid.
Ros Smith-Thomas
Co-Founder
Established the organization's first volunteer network in France, developing partnerships with international NGOs to expand TWB's crisis response capabilities during its formative years.
Sanni Bundgaard
Technical Advisor
Leads gender-based violence program translations, ensuring culturally sensitive communication for vulnerable populations. Specializes in adapting services to local languages and cultural contexts.
Questions
How does TWB support humanitarian organizations?
We provide rapid translation services, language technology solutions, and interpreter training to help humanitarian agencies communicate effectively in crisis zones and underserved communities.
What languages do you work with?
Our volunteer network covers 150+ languages, including marginalized and indigenous languages in crisis-affected regions worldwide.
How can I become a volunteer translator?
Apply through our online portal to join 100,000+ linguists. We require professional translation skills and commitment to humanitarian principles.
What crisis response services do you offer?
We provide emergency translation of safety instructions, medical guidelines, and official communications, plus interpreter networks and multilingual chatbot support during disasters.
How do you ensure translation quality?
We use certified translators, standardized terminology databases, and multi-stage quality checks for all crisis-related translations.
What technology solutions do you develop?
We create AI-powered translation tools for marginalized languages, multilingual chatbots for health information, and open-source platforms for humanitarian communication.
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