Poll: Have you done any non-profit work in relation to the pandemic?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Apr 7, 2020

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you done any non-profit work in relation to the pandemic?".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 21:22
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No Apr 7, 2020

I collaborate regularly with Translators Without Borders, Médecins sans Frontières, UN Volontaires and Equality Now...

 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 14:22
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
No Apr 7, 2020

I have a full plate right now. I'm not in a position to volunteer my time.

 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Please enlighten Apr 7, 2020

I cannot think of a single good reason to work for free. Who exactly will be unable to pay for my services in the current situation?

All I can come up with is a bad reason: virtue-signalling on social media.

Putting my life on hold to protect the vulnerable? Yes. Doing at-risk people’s shopping? Yes. Translating for free? No.


Mark Nathan
Kaisa I
Cinthya Chamarelli
Mervyn Henderson (X)
Alexandra Speirs
Sabine Braun
Axelle H.
 
Cinthya Chamarelli
Cinthya Chamarelli  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 18:22
Japanese to Portuguese
+ ...
No Apr 7, 2020

I'd love to help, but translating is the only thing that puts food on the table and that's difficult enough right now. I can help in other ways that won't sacrifice my livelihood.

Mark Nathan
Christopher Schröder
Alexandra Speirs
Sabine Braun
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
 
Kaisa I
Kaisa I  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 17:22
English to Finnish
+ ...
No, but I have done other types of non-profit work recently Apr 7, 2020

Chris S wrote:

I cannot think of a single good reason to work for free. Who exactly will be unable to pay for my services in the current situation?

All I can come up with is a bad reason: virtue-signalling on social media.

Putting my life on hold to protect the vulnerable? Yes. Doing at-risk people’s shopping? Yes. Translating for free? No.



Completely agree. My answer was the above, because I proofread an academic thesis abstract for my brother-in-law a week ago. Had nothing else to do that day and didn't mind helping out my family. They definitely have helped me in the past! A favor is still non-profit work, when it's in my field of expertise.


Marienah
 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 18:22
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Yes, TWB Apr 7, 2020

I usually do some "pro bono" when I have free time and the cause is decent. This month, I've translated almost 4000 words for TWB, but not all of it was related to the pandemic.

 
Aline Amorim
Aline Amorim  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 18:22
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Yes Apr 7, 2020

I collaborate regularly with Translators Without Borders, Mongabay and Olhar Animal and OSCMS - Portuguese (Brazil group) related to the pandemic last week.

[Editada em 2020-04-07 18:11 GMT]

[Editada em 2020-04-07 18:11 GMT]


 
JaneTranslates
JaneTranslates  Identity Verified
Puerto Rico
Local time: 17:22
Spanish to English
+ ...
No one has asked me to. Apr 7, 2020

I have done pro-bono translating in the past for a variety of reasons. For example, doctors often provide patients with hand-outs with special instructions (e.g., how to prepare for surgery). Here in Puerto Rico, these are usually in Spanish only. Some of my friends do not read Spanish, so if I have time, I'm usually happy to help them out.

No one has asked me to do any translating related to the current pandemic, unless you count my elderly friend who sometimes phones me and asks
... See more
I have done pro-bono translating in the past for a variety of reasons. For example, doctors often provide patients with hand-outs with special instructions (e.g., how to prepare for surgery). Here in Puerto Rico, these are usually in Spanish only. Some of my friends do not read Spanish, so if I have time, I'm usually happy to help them out.

No one has asked me to do any translating related to the current pandemic, unless you count my elderly friend who sometimes phones me and asks for clarification regarding the curfew or which businesses are allowed to operate, since she doesn't always catch the details when watching news on TV.

If I were asked to translate a text for free, I would, as always, analyze the situation and make my decision in context. The asker's need and ability to pay would certainly be a factors.

--Jane
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Cinthya Chamarelli
Philip Lees
 


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Poll: Have you done any non-profit work in relation to the pandemic?






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