Yemen Tahani Ahmed Ali Omer

Becoming a translator and field monitor for CTG was a turning point in my career. In this profession I can cover a wide range of topics and meet different challenges with every translated document. It keeps me on my toes as it’s essential that my vocabulary and general language skills are up to date.

Now, my job consists mainly of translation. Our office works in documenting and monitoring human rights violations that have occurred due to war in several governorates in Yemen. As translators, we get reports from field monitors that need to be translated or drafted. Our translation involves intense attention to detail and requires the moral responsibility to convey the content accurately and keep it confidential. In the field of human rights, I do not only practice my English language skills but have learnt new things about International Humanitarian Law, reporting as well as monitoring and documentation.

One of the marked experiences I’ve had with CTG so far was taking a role in International Human Rights Day. With the help of my colleagues, I administered a children’s drawing activity in the field as well as in the Sana’a Office. The activity was held by coordinating with other agencies across the country as they were taking care of psychosocial support centres for children. I had to pack and send drawing materials and event logos to several governorates with the assistance of a facilitator in a limited amount of time, then receive the drawings and hang them up a day prior to the event to present the children’s thoughts during the armed clashes they experienced.

CTG makes me feel enthusiastic, full of self-esteem, confident, valuable and motivated.

When it comes to translation, I think meticulous people suit this work best – strict attention must be paid to finer linguistic details. For example, we deal a lot with figures of civilian casualties so a single mistake means missing a civilian life record.

I’ve learnt a lot since working with CTG. I have realised that scientists were right when they said that “creativity is a learnt behaviour”. The more I practice brainstorming new and different language-play ideas, the more creative I am in translation.

I look forward to continuing working with CTG, and I am confident that I will take on progressively greater management responsibilities in the future.