George, tell us a bit about yourself and your background.
I am a Kenyan citizen in my late 20s and a graduate of Economics from the University of Nairobi. I’m a writer by passion. I have over 12 years of experience in market research, strategic development, project management and monitoring and evaluation of projects for public, private, global and local firms. I am currently working with ResearchSphere LLC as a Research Consultant.
How did you learn that Alison was looking for translators for its coronavirus course?
I learnt about it through a colleague I have been working with in Research and Data analysis.
What was your experience of Alison before volunteering to translate? Had you studied with Alison before?
I had a great experience with Alison courses before translating the coronavirus course. I had undertaken several certificate courses with Alison, such as the Theory of Learning, which were quite informative and involving.
Why did you offer to translate our coronavirus course?
I offered to translate the coronavirus course because it allowed me to learning. Coronavirus is new and I learned quite a lot about it which was helpful.
Why is it important that everyone has access to important information on coronavirus?
It is very important that everyone gets information and is made aware about coronavirus. This will help them to be responsible and to take measures so as to avoid contracting the virus. When one is aware of what one is dealing with, it becomes easier to administer preventative measures.
Tell us a little about your method when translating.
When translating, I used my knowledge of the Swahili language together with Google Translate for the clarifications of certain words.
Why is free learning so important and why is it important to translate it into many languages?
Free learning is very important to many people as it equips those who are interested with free knowledge. It is important to translate into many languages so as not to limit anyone. That way many people can have the knowledge.
Have you been learning through Alison during the pandemic? How has the lockdown been for you?
Yes. The lockdown has served me quite well. I have taken up several free Alison courses which have been helpful. I have been exposed to a lot of knowledge and also learnt how to authenticate true and false information.
What would you say to people who might be interested in translating for Alison?
People who are interested in translating for Alison should sign up in the Alison site and look for courses which they can translate.
If you’d like to play your part in overcoming the coronavirus pandemic by helping Alison give people access to the information necessary to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, please get in touch.
