Crisis Response Interpretation for UNHCR
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Summary
Deployed to an emergency registration drive for a sudden influx of refugees, providing rapid and accurate interpretation services.
About
Accomplished Counselor and Interpreter with over 6 years of experience providing critical linguistic, cultural, and psychosocial support in high-stakes environments for leading international organizations like UNHCR, CNN, and BBC. Expert in accurate translation, cultural mediation, and sensitive content handling, leveraging native fluency in Luo (Dholuo) and Swahili, with advanced English proficiency. Seeking to apply precise linguistic annotation and evaluation skills to develop safer, more accurate, and culturally aware AI systems.
Work
UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency)
|Freelance Interpreter & Cultural Mediator
Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
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Summary
Served as a primary Luo/English interpreter and cultural mediator, ensuring accurate and culturally appropriate communication in critical humanitarian contexts for asylum seekers and staff.
Highlights
Provided rapid, accurate interpretation for over 200 individuals during a 72-hour emergency registration drive, facilitating efficient processing and immediate escalation of vulnerable cases.
Served as primary Luo/English interpreter for refugee status determination interviews, medical screenings, legal counseling, and protection sessions, ensuring accurate and culturally appropriate communication.
Translated critical documents, including personal statements, legal forms, and medical records, maintaining absolute fidelity to original meaning and context under tight deadlines.
Conducted cultural orientation and mediation for incoming refugees and humanitarian staff, bridging socio-cultural gaps to prevent misunderstandings and foster effective support.
Handled highly sensitive and traumatic testimonies with professional empathy, adhering to strict ethical codes on confidentiality and data protection in collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams.
CNN & BBC International News
|Field Interpreter & Fixer
Various Cities, Kenya, Kenya
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Summary
Provided essential interpretation and logistical support for international journalists, ensuring journalistic integrity and facilitating critical field operations across Kenya.
Highlights
Served as lead interpreter and fixer for an investigative BBC Africa Eye documentary, translating sensitive undercover footage and ensuring ethical safety of contributors, resulting in a lauded final product.
Provided essential interpretation services for international journalists conducting in-depth interviews with Luo-speaking subjects on sensitive topics, ensuring journalistic integrity and factual accuracy.
Acted as local fixer, facilitating logistics and securing interviews with key community figures to ensure safe and effective field operations.
Translated video transcripts and assisted in fact-checking for news segments, ensuring precise, verbatim translation and clarifying cultural nuances for international broadcast.
Built rapid trust with local communities to enable authentic and respectful storytelling, navigating complex social dynamics with tact and professionalism.
Nyanza Reproductive Health Society (NRHS)
|Counselor
Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya
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Summary
Provided compassionate one-on-one and group counseling services, developing personalized support plans and facilitating community workshops on mental health.
Highlights
Provided compassionate one-on-one and group counseling services to clients, employing active listening and analytical skills to assess needs and develop personalized support plans.
Conducted intake interviews and maintained detailed, accurate, and confidential case files and session notes, demonstrating meticulous attention to detail and compliance.
Developed and facilitated community workshops on mental health awareness, stress management, and psychosocial support, enhancing local community well-being.
Collaborated effectively with healthcare professionals and social workers to provide a holistic network of care, ensuring comprehensive client support.
Education
College of Insurance
Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
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Diploma
Insurance
Alison College
Remote, Global, XX
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Diploma
Operations Management
Courses
Streamlining Processes
Project Management Fundamentals
Efficient Workflow Design
Kenya Association of Professional Counselors
Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
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Degree
Counseling Psychology
Courses
Cross-Cultural Communication
Ethics in Counseling
Cognitive Behavioral Techniques
Active Listening & Interviewing Skills
Psychosocial Support Systems
Thesis/Capstone: Role of language and cultural identity in therapeutic process
Languages
Luo (Dholuo)
Swahili
English
Certificates
Virtual Assistant Certification
Issued By
ALX - The Room
Workshop on Trauma-Informed Care
Issued By
UNHCR Learning Platform
Certificate in Humanitarian Interpretation
Issued By
Red Cross
Skills
Linguistic Expertise
Luo (Dholuo), Swahili, English, Linguistic Annotation, Translation & Interpretation, Cultural Nuance & Context, Phonetics & Dialect Identification.
Technical Proficiency
Data Evaluation, Quality Assurance (QA), Detail-Oriented Analysis, Adherence to Strict Guidelines, Remote Collaboration Tools, Basic Transcription Software, Microsoft Office Suite, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Workspace, Zoom, Slack, Software Adoption.
Professional & Interpersonal Skills
Cultural Mediation & Sensitivity, Psychosocial Support, Handling Sensitive Content, Confidentiality & Ethics, Project Coordination, Client & Stakeholder Communication, Research & Interviewing, Qualitative Research, Structured Interviews, Unstructured Interviews, Report Synthesis, Ethics & Compliance, Data Protection Protocols, Time Management, Professional Communication, Digital Tool Proficiency, Workflow Design, Process Streamlining, Active Listening, Analytical Skills, Empathy, Problem-Solving.
References
Referees
Provided upon request. Available from Senior Officers at UNHCR and Producers from BBC/CNN.
Projects
Documentary Production with BBC Africa Eye
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Summary
Served as lead interpreter and fixer for an investigative documentary focusing on a complex social issue within a Luo-speaking community.