Tamarind Launches Wellness e-Forum for translators & interpreters

Tamarind Translations Ltd launched a Translators & Interpreters Wellness e-Forum for its staff and consultants on Friday 26 August 2011. The event held at the Nairobi Safari Club was attended by about 50 Tamarind Linguists’ Forum (TLF) members and special guests from the Swedish Workplace HIV AIDS Programme (SWHAP) who are partners in the project.

Tamarind Translations operates a solid team of project managers and the 900 translators in a global network with about 80 based in Nairobi. Upon arrival in Nairobi in 2008, the company recruited an experienced local team of hand-picked translators and interpreters, proofreaders, editors and other linguists, most of whom serve as consultants. To facilitate better networking within the team, Tamarind Translations launched the Tamarind Linguists’ Forum (TLF) with the overall objective of contributing towards improved standards in the translation industry, both in Kenya and the region.

In June 2011, SWHAP established contact with Tamarind Translations in view of launching a Wellness Programme for our staff and consultants. This led to the birth of TLF - SWHAP Wellness e-Forum. The e-forum has 50 members and has so far outlined themes for discussion and information sharing from June to December 2011. Discussions about Work Life Balance and HIV/AIDS have been completed. The debates are conducted online and SWHAP has provided experts to moderate the various themes. Other activities planned include Health Days where free checkups including Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) services will be provided.

Mr. Daniel Mwaura, Eastern Africa Coordinator, SWHAP delivered a keynote address explaining the organisation’s work with other Swedish related companies in the region and the aims of supporting the e-Forum project. Tamarind Translations Managing Director, Mr. Theophan Marube, expressed the company’s commitment to supporting the health and wellness of its translators and interpreters and thanked SWHAP for supporting the venture.

Also attending the launch were special guests John Vinner, SWHAP Sweden representative and Dr. Hellen Magutu, National Project Coordinator, ILOHIV/AIDS Workplace Programme, Kenya. Dr. Magutu hailed the innovativeness of the project in the use of ICT while Mr. Vinner congratulated Tamarind Translations and pledged the SHWAP support for the development of meaningful activities for the benefit of the overall health of the participants.