Interpreters: Bridging worlds through words

“I can’t pronounce your name, so I’ll call you Niki and you’ll be my daughter from now on.”

This is how Niki* acquired her Greek name, by which she prefers to introduce herself. It was bestowed upon her by her elderly landlady, who embraced Niki as if she was her own child.

Niki’s story started in Afghanistan where she was born. She studied law at the University of Kabul and she worked for eight years in advocating for women against gender-based violence. Her passion for standing up for dignity, respect, and equality sparked within her from an early age.

However, the emergence of the Taliban in the country dramatically altered the trajectory of Niki’s life, forcing her to become a refugee twice. The first time was during her childhood when she settled with her family for a decade in Pakistan. The second time, when she was forced to flee Afghanistan out of fear for her life.

“It’s difficult to capture in a single sentence the emotions that arise when you leave behind the place where you belong, the land that carries the familiar scent of your people. You feel as if your human identity has been stripped away, that you lost half your dignity,” she says.

She arrived on Chios island in April 2016. Right from the outset, she decided to build her new life in Greece. Her recognition as a refugee swiftly followed.

Driven by her dynamic character, Niki refused to let a minute go wasted without helping other refugees in need. Thus, from the very first moment, she volunteered to support with interpretation in the camp where she resided.

She quickly caught the attention of UNHCR’s partner METAdrasi, a non-governmental organisation which has been providing interpretation services to refugees since 2010. METAdrasi proposed her a professional collaboration on another island, Lesvos – a collaboration which now counts seven years. Today, Niki is a dedicated staff member of METAdrasi and she works for UNHCR’s interpretation programme implemented with the financial support of the European Union, providing invaluable support in facilitating communication between UNHCR’s staff, specialized actors, and refugees in need. Notably, METAdrasi offers interpretation services in 61 languages and dialects, including some of the less commonly spoken ones.

“The role of the interpreter serves as a bridge, uniting two distinct worlds and cultures. By removing the barriers through interpretation, you realize that, ultimately, there exists only one world”, says Niki.

Upon her arrival in Greece, Niki was fluent in Dari, Pashto, Farsi, and English, for which she acquired a professional interpreter certification from METAdrasi. Nevertheless, her passion and innate talent for languages drove her to further learn Greek, Urdu, and Punjabi, although she doesn’t professionally interpretate in these languages.

The interpreters within the programme are bound by a code of conduct to the principles of neutrality and confidentiality.

“I remember in training we were told that as an interpreter, you have to be like a machine. We try to be as accurate as possible. We don’t add words, and that’s a rule,” Niki explains.

Interpreters are trained to adhere to numerous rules. These include how they position themselves next to the caseworker they are interpreting for, whom they look at during the interpretation and how they position their hands. Additionally, if an interpreter discovers that the person they interpret for originates from the same region or is personally known to them, they are obligated to request a replacement to ensure neutrality.

However, for Niki, the greatest challenge lies beyond neutrality and the other rules she must abide by.

“Someone’s life and the dreams they pursue upon arrival here depend on your words. You become the voice of the voiceless.” says Niki.

Manos Chatzelis, METAdrasi’s coordinator for UNHCR’s interpretation programmes on Lesvos, emphasizes that interpretation is not just a necessity but a “basic right” and a “psychological need” for refugees, “because when people lack the ability to communicate, irrespective of whether it’s for a simple or an important matter, it might take a significant psychological toll on them.”

“Regardless of the number of services and provisions for asylum-seekers, these hold no real value unless there is a means of communication that can effectively connect people with those services.” Mr. Chatzelis underlines.

Niki expresses her profound love for languages and also reveals her fondness for certain words. These are the words that bring smiles to people’s faces, such as the phrase “positive decision” in the asylum process or when she interprets the phrase “you are healed” to the sick.

“When I speak these words, regardless of the language, the light that illuminates the eyes of refugees is truly unique,”Niki shares in an emotional tone.

Niki’s work as an interpreter offers numerous such touching moments. She recalls when she encountered an eight-year-old boy from Africa, whose mother was hospitalized and lacked an interpreter to aid in communication until Niki arrived. The young boy instantly expressed his appreciation and aspiration to become an interpreter himself so as to be of service to other people, just like Niki.

“That was the first time I cried since I started in this field. Those words made me truly comprehend the impact of my work”, she recalls.

* Names have been changed for protection reasons.

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter