theculturalconnect.com

Non-Profit

Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo)
Softcopy Translation Center (STC)

Founded

STC: January 2006

Website

HRinfo: www.hrinfo.net
STC: targama.bravehost.com

Name

Dalia Ziada, Founder of STC and Translator

Age

Hometown

Cairo, Egypt

Current residence

Cairo, Egypt

Education

Ain Shams University (in Cairo), English and American Literature, 2002

Work Experience

Softcopy Translation Center, Founder and Executive Director, (Jan 2006-Present);
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, Senior Translator (Jan 2006-present);
Al-Ahram Newspaper, Sub-training Translator (2002-2004)

Ethnicity

Egyptian

About the non-profit

I work for The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo) which is an Egyptian human rights organization interested in Freedom of Expression, since almost one year now. I am also the founder and owner of Softcopy Translation Center (STC) which provides free (English/Arabic) translation service for NGOs worldwide. After starting Softcopy Translation Center almost eleven months ago, I realized early on the disloyality of my translators staff. They were like this because the work they did was voluntary. More recently, I discovered the solution; a brilliant idea. We started translating for commercial companies in addition to NGOs. Commercial companies pay for the translation service we provide to them. So, I can pay for the translators who translate for NGOs.

On all levels STC is witnessing great progress. Among the prominent NGOs that utilize our free translation service is The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (which I work for as a Senior Translator) in Egypt, Bahrain Youth Center for Human Rights in Bahrain, Hands Across Mideast Support Alliance in USA, and others. We also translate for the renowned Gulf Innovation for Training and Consulting Company in Kuwait, Marketing Department of Mercedes Benz Agent in Dubai, Emigrants Service Department in Canada, and other commercial companies which pay for us.

Among the suggested but unimplemented yet projects are providing Lamofliberty.org website and Human Rights Tools website with our translation service. Right now after almost one year of foundation, we are planning to seek funding from international funding organizations in order to achieve our ultimate goal of spreading our free service worldwide in a professional manner, provide human rights translation trainings and seminars for fresh graduates and create a human rights dictionary. I am so optimistic !

Most notable milestones

- I won an honorable mention form Hands Across Mideast Alliance (HAMSA) in USA for my article on women rights (www.hamsaweb.org/honorme.html)

- I am online writer at Tharwa Project (arabic.tharwaproject.com/)

- Dr. Sherien Abul Naja (the prominenet Egyptian feminist and writer wrote about my experience as an ambitous Egyptian young woman in her weekly Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper (www.almasry-alyoum.com)

- My poem entitled "Lam Alef" was highly welcomed by Egyptian readers. It is posted on many political websites. When a publisher read it, he offered to publish my first poetic divan. Right now, I am working on this project and soon my first poetic divan will be available.

- My small dream Softcopy Translation Center is witnessing great progress despite the limited financial resources.

What's the niche?

Softcopy Translation Center is unique because:
- It is a web-based translation center which have a network of Arabic/English transltors from the Arab region
- It is the first organization of its kind in the Arab region and propably the whole world to provide a specialized translation service for human rights and NGOs
- It provides NGOs with translation service for free
- It takes money from commercial companies and indirectly invest it in the civil society movement
- It provides specialized human rights translation

What's the biggest challenge?

To establish the idea that there is something called Specialized Human Rights Translation; just like scientific translation, political translation, medical translation, etc. This puts us under other sub-challenges including the fact that human rights culture itself is missed in the Arab world and in many other areas worldwide. People confuse "human rights movement" with "politics" all the time.

Another sub-challenge is to help human rights organizations promote their word in an effective way worldwide by helping them to reach the audience which talks a language inferior to their languages. For example, not all the people in the Arab world understand English, but all of them understand Arabic. So, when an English-spoken NGO desires to reach the Arabic audience we will play the greatest role in this.

What's in store for the future?

In Softcopy Translation Center, we plan to:
- Reach every human rights and civil society organization in every place in the world
- Creat the first specialized Human Rights Dictionary ever
- Train fresh graduates who are aspiring to work as translators on specialized human rights translation concepts and skills

Who would you like to be contacted by?

Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedan and MEPI (Middle East Partnership Initiative) in USA! Also, anyone interested in learning more about what I do!

« Previous 1 2 1 2 Next »

Best way to keep a competitive edge

To work hard, learn more, believe in what I am doing, and be creative in every tiny step I take.

Guiding principle in life

Not only one guiding principle, but four:

- Leave your own fingerprint wherever live takes you; i.e. to do something unique and creative at every place you might exist at.
- The one who seeks to do every thing will do nothing; i.e. to focus on your sole goal and your own sole message in life.
- Treat others the way you want them to treat you; i.e. respect others as much as you want them to respect you.
- To write is to live; because writing gives you the chance to influence the minds of the people

Yardstick of success

I will consider my self successful when I see:

- My name and the logo of Softcopy Translation Center on the first English/Arabic specialized Human Rights dictionary.
- Train 100 fresh graduates on specialized human rights translation.
- See the logo of STC on any paper at each human rights organization worldwide.
- Eliminate the practice of circumicision against the female kids in Egypt.

Goal yet to be achieved

Oh! So many goals, the most important are to:

- Win Nobel Prize in literature as I write Arabic poetry and plays.
- Win Nobel Prize for Peace (hopefully as a peace maker).
- Win Oscar Prize for cinema scriptwriting.
- See no more violations against women rights and the right to freedom of expression (particularly in our oppressive Arab Region).

Best practical advice

Just Do It: Whenever you have an idea or wants to do any thing whatsoever, do it as much as you are convinced that this is the right thing. If you feel you want to write, just write. If you need to run in a formal suit, wear this suit and run. The people who laugh at you today, will imitate you tomorrow. And you will be the brave one who took the initiative. Just believe in yourself and your unlimited abilities. Every one is unique, and only successful people are those who can discover why they are unique and then launch their life from this unique point. Never be afraid to fail. To be a failour is much better than being nothing at all.

Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture

"If I was your mother, I was to be proud of you" Ms. Zainab Al-Suwaij; the Executive Director of the American Islamic Congress

"You take money from commercial companies and invest it in civil society activism. It is a brilliant idea" Said Dr. Tom Palmer when I told him about the idea of STC.

"Keep writing, you will be a unique poet one day and I promise to write the preface of your first poetry divan" said the renowned Egyptian poet Ahmed Fouad Negm

Mentor(s) and why?

Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedan)

I call him the wizard of my life. If it was not for him, I was never to learn how to be ambitious. His pieces of advice and spiritual and moral support were and are still the reason why I discovered my goal in life. Though that we have never met yet as he lives in Kuwait and I live in Egypt. We only exchange emails. He always gives me the best advice and he never let me down. He understands me as if he is living with me. He never disregarded me although he is very busy. I have to confess that any success I will achieve in my life is thanks to being him as my mentor.

What motivated you to get started?

I was motivated to get started by the horrible and sever human rights violations committed against ordinary citizens all over the Arab world. In my country in particular, I saw policemen torturing people with sadism for no real reason!! I also saw girls in the age of 8 suffering circumcision painful consequences! I saw wives suffering oppression by their husbands who also suffer oppression by their bosses and powerful officials! I saw young men raping girls and women in the streets in a brutal manner! I was shocked when I saw this. However, I was shocked even more when I saw the victims accepting these violations because they are afraid and "to let life go on"! People here do not know that they have rights. That is why I decided to help every human rights organization to play its best role. The best thing I can do is translation and human rights organizations needs translation service all the time. That is why I decided to launch my dreams in this direction.

Like best about what you do?

I like best about what I do is that I work for a noble goal which will give some benefit to every human worldwide whether directly or indirectly.

Like least about what you do?

Spending long ours on my laptop.

At age 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a journalist. I used to write news about my family in my notebooks and at the top left of each news story I draw a picture for the incident. I can remember that I once wrote a very interesting interview with my father because he was sick for six days. That is not all, I also used to spend long ours re-writing the stories in order to distribute my small newspaper on my colleagues in school.

What was your first job?

Subtraining Journalist at Al-Ahram newspaper.

Biggest pastime outside of work

Reading poetry and watching movies.

People most interested in meeting

Al Pacino (the famous actor): to give him the scenario of the movie I wrote in English three years ago. I really want him to paly the role of the protagonist in it.

Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan: to learn more from him and also to invite him to cooperate with me in STC future projects as he is the owner of a leading training and consulting company in the Arab region.

Leader in business most interested in meeting

Dr. Boutros-Ghali an Egyptian diplomat who was the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1992 to December 1996. He also played a part in the peace agreements between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin.

I want to meet him to discuss with him some of my ideas concerning the development of human rights in Egypt and how to extend our role as human rights advocators to help other Arab and non Arab countries..

Three interesting facts about yourself

1. I sleep only three hours per day
2. I was once in love with some one who is 52 years older than me
3. I love potatoes more than anything else

Three characteristics that describe you

1. Human who respects other humans
2. Too ambitious
3. Religious

Three greatest passions

1. Poetry
2. Scriptwriting
3. Persuading people with my ideas

Favorite book

Organize Your Life by Dr. Tareq Al-Suwaidan

Favorite cause

To promote human rights culture all over the Arab world and to change the barren mentalities of those who insist on committing human rights violations under the name of Islam and traditions.

« Previous 1 2 1 2 Next »

Dalia Ziada: Founder & Translator to the World's NGOs

Credits

Also this week

Don't forget!