by Martinien Afangbedji

Knowledge Management is an emerging field in Africa, especially in the Sub-Saharan region. The lack of knowledge sharing among African professionals has a negative impact on innovation and global competitiveness. Kabod Group’s Department of Language Services aims to establish Kabod as the go-to platform for language professionals to exchange best practices and access timely, concise, comprehensive, and clear knowledge products with practical recommendations and actionable solutions to major challenges in the interpretation or translation industry.

Our approach is participatory and interdisciplinary, and we welcome experiences, subject-based topics, policy analyses, and evidence-based analyses from a diverse range of stakeholders in the language industry.

Topic Selection

We welcome contributions on topics related to the language industry in Africa, including translation, interpretation, localization, language technology, and language education. Please feel free to suggest your own topics or choose from our list of suggested topics:

• The Role of Language Technology in Bridging Language Barriers in Africa
• The Challenges of Translating Technical and Scientific Terminology into African Languages
• Translation and interpretation solutions
• African language Natural language processing
• Teaching and learning African languages
• The Ethics of Interpretation in African Courts: A Case Study
• Building resources for (under-resourced) African indigenous languages
• The Impact of Colonialism on African Languages: Challenges and Opportunities for Revitalization
• Developing and using African indigenous languages in the digital age
• Improving the quality, availability and accessibility of African languages
• National language policies
• The Challenges of Translating Technical and Scientific Terminology into African Languages
• The Future of Interpretation in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges
• The Importance of Cultural Sensitivity in Localization for African Languages
• The Impact of Language Education on African Economic Development
• The Benefits of Multilingualism in African Business and Politics
• The Role of Machine Translation in Enhancing African Language Accessibility
• The Importance of African Language Documentation and Preservation
• How Language Diversity in Africa Can Be Leveraged to Boost Tourism
• The Use of AI and Machine Learning in African Language Processing
• The Importance of Terminology Management in African Languages
• How to Overcome the Challenges of Localizing Content for Diverse African Markets
• The Role of African Languages in Promoting Social Cohesion and National Unity
• The Importance of Community-Based Approaches in African Language Development
• The Impact of African Language Literature on Global Literary Trends.
• The Role of African Language Professionals in the Global Language Industry

Content Guidelines

The content of the blog should be informative, engaging, and well-researched. We encourage contributors to provide unique insights, practical advice, and relevant examples to illustrate their points. The blog post or article should be between 800 and 2000 words and should be written in a clear and concise manner.

Style and Format

Please format your post with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Use subheadings, bullet points, and images to break up the text and make it more readable. Please include links to reputable sources that support your arguments or provide additional information.

Author’s Bio:

Please include a short author bio (50-100 words) at the end of your post, including your name, job title, and a link to your website or LinkedIn profile. You may also include a headshot or other relevant images.

Submission Process

Our call for blogs and articles is open all year round. We encourage contributors to send an overview or synopsis of their ideas via email to the Head of KLS, Mr. Martinien Koffitse Afangbedji, at languages@kabodgroup.com, and copy elongue@kabodgroup.com. This way, we can ensure that your topic is relevant and aligned with our editorial priorities and policies. Sharing the synopsis via email also enables us to provide feedback and suggestions to strengthen your article.

Once you have completed your post, please submit it to us as a Word document or Google Docs via email. We will review the post and provide feedback within 2-3 business days. Once the post has been approved, we will schedule it for publication on our blog. Further instructions on the process can be found here. 

Contributors

We welcome contributions from students, experts, or researchers in interpretation/translation, teachers/consultants in the language industry, education experts, practitioners, policymakers, civil society, businesses, and development agencies working within the language industry.

Publication Process

The process for contributing articles or blogs is as follows:

• Launch of the permanent call for contributions
• Reception and review of articles/blogs. We typically respond within three days.
• Graphic design and production of communication and promotional materials from the article and author.
• Publication of the designed article on Kabod and partner platforms.
• Dissemination via communication channels and promotion through e-news, targeted newsletters, and during relevant official events (MK Talks, partner events, etc.).
• Monitoring and collection of readers’ feedback and post-engagement.

We receive contributions throughout the year, and payments for commissioned papers are made at the end of the month. Whenever possible, authors are invited to training sessions, networking events, and consultancy programs related to their area of interest. Some also participate in Kabod Language Talk as guest speakers or panelists.

Additional Information

Kabod Language Services (KLS) also manages the Network of African Languages Teachers and Translators (ALATT). You can join the LinkedIn Group to exchange translation/interpretation opportunities or updates about your work as a language professional: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9156833/

If you know other translators/interpreters specializing in African languages who might be interested in sharing their experiences through blogs and articles, please share this with them.