CLEAR Global

A recent outbreak of Sudan Virus Disease (SVD) has affected Uganda. It is important that the public health sector, government officials and organizations on the ground provide information about the disease in languages that Ugandan communities are able to understand. As per our research, regular, clear, and thoughtful communication on diseases can reduce stigma and increase trust, and multilingual health communication is essential to ensure that everyone can understand how to keep themselves safe. 🇺🇬 Find out more about the languages used in Uganda on this map from our language use data platform: https://hubs.ly/Q035xPvw0 #SudanVirusDisease #Uganda #UgandaLanguages #HealthCommunication

⚠️ RECRUITMENT FRAUD ALERT ⚠️ It has come to our attention that there have been individuals who claim to be CLEAR Global staff offering paid work opportunities. We advise potential job seekers to stay alert and recognize these fraudulent activities. ⛔️ If you suspect that you are the target of a scam, please contact your local law enforcement or contact us via our social media accounts or info@clearglobal.org.  For more information, visit our website: https://hubs.ly/Q0359fNT0

💡 Are you ready to see a world where language technology is reached by anyone, whatever language they speak? 🫵🏼 We want you to be a part of it. Read the post to find out how you can take part or through our blog: https://lnkd.in/g_i9pnfW

🔎 Our research shows that communication breakdowns occur when parties lack a common vocabulary. The use of technical terminology, abstract nouns, and concepts unfamiliar to a specific community or carrying negative local connotations can lead to misunderstanding and distrust. Knowing which words to use isn’t always straightforward, especially when communicating across cultures and about sensitive or traumatic issues. 🗂️ One of the tools we have developed over the years are glossaries, which help organizations and communities to effectively communicate on matters like Covid-19 or prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. Take a look ➡️ https://lnkd.in/g9SsvE3f

We are breaking language barriers with AI! 🗣️ The Anticipation Hub highlights how two of our new tools, TWB Voice and our Language Use Data Platform, employ data that can help AI to analyze and support language diversity in anticipatory action. With better insights into local languages, communication becomes clearer, more inclusive, and effective. Learn about these and other tools for AI in anticipatory action: https://hubs.ly/Q033WTvK0 Thank you to HeiGIT for organizing and to Welthungerhilfe (WHH), Humanitarian and Stabilisation Operations Team, World Food Programme, the Kenya Meteorological Department, Deutsches Rotes Kreuz, Deltares and the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry for co-hosting the workshop in which we discussed all this! #LanguageTech #AIforGood #InclusiveAction #AnticipatoryAction

In recent weeks, M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have made significant advances in the region of North Kivu, closing in on Goma, a vital hub for security and humanitarian operations. The most recent UN data – which is already a week old – points towards 237,000 people having been forced to flee their homes in 2025 alone, adding to an already dire and long-standing crisis that continues to deepen instability in the region. For displaced individuals, accessing essential aid and services is already a challenge, but when information is provided in languages they do not understand, it becomes nearly impossible. In humanitarian crises like this, where linguistic diversity is vast, ensuring access to information in a language people understand is not just a necessity: it is a human right. This should be the norm in all displaced persons' camps. Imagine being displaced and unable to access healthcare, understand your rights, find shelter, stay informed about the evolving conflict, or report abuse simply because humanitarian personnel do not speak your language. We urge all humanitarian actors to prioritize language accessibility and provide services that reflect the linguistic needs of the population. Our map shows the different languages spoken in North Kivu. You can find more resources about the region in our website: https://lnkd.in/dRa2ZKQk Our glossary can also help actors operating in the area communicate more effectively, ensuring that critical information is accurately conveyed and understood: https://lnkd.in/dSA-eSGw #DRCCrisis #CongoConflict #DRC #CrisisResponse

🤔 What’s Interesting in Low-Resource Language Tech? Aimee Ansari discusses Nwulite Obodo Open Data License, a license for sharing African language datasets. This is developed by Data Science Law Lab at the University of Pretoria, with others in South Africa and Kenya. 🚀 Efforts are underway to make all African language data openly accessible to developers and engineers, aiming to accelerate access to language technology benefits for more Africans. A challenge with using Creative Commons licensing for these datasets is that it doesn't address existing imbalances. African developers and technologists often face difficulties in accessing the necessary technology, toolkits, and computing power to fully utilize the data. In contrast, larger tech companies can easily leverage these resources at minimal cost. As a result, this could lead to the loss of data ownership for the very communities that speak these languages. ⛔️ 👇🏽 Watch Aimee's full discussion below.

📶 One of the reasons for power imbalance in the aid and development sectors is a lack of language inclusion. For instance, addressing this imbalance looks like language-aware programming for effective, responsive, and accountable assistance. Or technology that truly includes the languages spoken where organizations work. 🚀 📢 We advocate for donors, other organizations, and technology developers to contribute to and support open-access language technology for social impact in marginalized languages. #LanguageMatters #LanguageInclusion

🎉 KoboToolbox Academy is launching a new Spanish Essentials Course! This was made possible through the collaboration of our translators here at CLEAR Global, who made all course materials available in Spanish. 📝 Sign up through their link below👇🏽

The start of 2025 has already seen big numbers of displaced people caused by conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo - over 100,000 have been reported by UNOCHA. In 2022, CLEAR Global published a study on effective reporting systems for sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian settings in DRC. People need practical information in languages they understand. Read the post for more information. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗥𝗖: 💡 Insights into community needs and wishes for effective reporting: https://lnkd.in/gpF9M8B6 📖 Our glossary helping people say what they want to say and be understood: https://lnkd.in/gqhERfUX 🇨🇩 Language map: https://lnkd.in/gf8etZuQ Photo: MONUSCO (CC-BY-SA)