Kenyans who are fluent in multiple languages have discovered that their skills are profitable.
With expertise in French, Mandarin, and German, Kenyans now have the opportunity to earn up to Sh30,000 per day as interpreters at international events.
According to a report by The Star newspaper, this initiative has resovled two problems simultanously, as it not only creates employment opportunities for hundreds of Kenyans but also saves event planners the stress of having to hire foreign translators.
Thirty-year-old James Osewe runs Elite Translators, a startup specializing in interpreting services for at least ten international languages.
Speaking to The Star, he disclosed that after receiving numerous service requests, he decided to employ and train fellow Kenyans proficient in different languages to also become interpreters.
“We have since expanded to various countries in the continent including Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, and Rwanda and we are in the process of entering West Africa,” he stated.
Osewe currently runs a 5 man business which he sometimes bolsters with freelance interpreters should his workforce be spread thin.
He noted that workers within his small organization can be booked for up to 8 events on a good day spanning the Kenyan market.
Andrew Majaliwa another player in the industry and his wife, Janet Mugasia, founded Talk Plan Limited in 2010, according to the Star’s report.
As fluent Mandarin speakers, they originally intended to focus on serving the growing number of Chinese businesses in the region.
However, they have since expanded their services to include Portuguese, French, Arabic, and German.
“China’s interest in Africa at the beginning of the century was an eye-opener. My wife and I were still linguistic students when we first landed our solo gigs. We rode on our diverse networks to net customers, mostly Chinese state officials who were in talks with the Mwai Kibaki administration on various infrastructure projects,’’ Majaliwa said.
“This business has seen us brush shoulders with who is who in this country. We played a major role in negotiations of various infrastructure projects in the country, including the Thika Super Highway,” he added.
