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English to Spanish: crossing_borders_final_signed_off General field: Other Detailed field: Government / Politics
Source text - English Crossing borders
On the frontiers of Ethiopia and Somaliland, Oxfam, with funding from ECHO, is helping pastoralists move across borders to cope with future droughts. Caroline Berger, Communications Officer in East Africa, reports;
Abdullahi sits chewing qat, a mildly narcotic plant, under the shade of the acacia tree where he was born, and surveys his ancestral lands on the borders of Ethiopia and Somaliland. For centuries, Abdullahi and his grandfathers have followed the pastoralist way of life, moving their herds from one place to another in search of fresh pasture.
“I remember when I was a child the grass was up to my chest”, he smiles, “it was a time of prosperity in our village”.
Twenty years later recurrent droughts have rendered the land which Abdullahi remembered, a more arid and inhospitable landscape. His abundant pasture has been replaced by a sporadic green oasis, which have sprouted after this season’s rain. But for roaming pastoralists, like Abdullahi, there is nowhere to move as traditional grazing patterns have become threatened by changing agricultural practices, and increased competition for grazing land.
Today, crisis crossed patterns splice the landscape into hundreds of farming settlements marked by makeshift fences tied together with acacia sticks.
“All the land has been taken”, says Abdullahi, as he looks forlornly in the distance. “There is nowhere for my animals to roam”.
Abdullahi only own a meagre 150 square metres plot compared to the 10 square kilometres of land owned by some of his neighbours. Since independence in 1990, around 90% of land in the west of Somaliland has become privately enclosed as more pastoralists move away from a traditional nomadic lifestyle and towards fixed agricultural holdings. But for people like Mohammed Digale Ahmed, 50 , the change to farming is difficult. “I don’t have the tools to irrigate my land and other areas are more fertile”.
Here in Somaliland, where more than two thirds of people depend on the land for a living, the traditional pastoralist lifestyle is under threat. Abdullahi says sadly, “the pastoralist way of life is deteriorating every year”. The effect of changing agricultural practices is already apparent and many people have been forced to move to the cities. In Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital, a new makeshift camp has sprung up to house the new influx of pastoralists displaced by drought.
Traditionally, pastoralist families roamed freely without heed to national borders which were created without regard to the indigenous population. This nomadic lifestyle increased their resilience to drought as their cattle could graze over a much wider area seeking out more fertile pastures. Whilst this existence is endangered by the increasing enclosure of the land, there are still opportunities to prosper as families can move across to Ethiopia, where the enclosure of the land is less advanced. Oxfam, together with their local partner, Havoyocco, have developed a unique cross border programme to help the communities which straddle the border.
Khadilja, a grandmother who has lived in a pastoralist community for the whole of her 70 years, worries about the increasing enclosure of the land. She tells me that “every place is a farm”, but adds that she still can find pasture for her cattle in Ethiopia. Other villagers tell the same story.
Oxfam’s cross border project is helping to sustain the pastoralist way of life, which is increasingly becoming marginalised. With support from Oxfam, many people, like Abdullahi, now have the chance to move to new lands across the border and access scarce resources, like water, particularly in times of drought. Oxfam’s nine newly constructed water catchment areas mean that livestock can access water on both sides of the border, away from fenced off lands.
Abdullahi who lost more than half of his animals in last year’s drought, has high hopes for the project. He tells me “Now I can move freely everywhere, and it will help me to cope with future droughts.” Abdullahi will also be able to sell his livestock across the border, which he tells me “will increase my income as I can access new markets. Now I get $30 for one shoat in Hargeisa but this means I can sell my livestock on both sides of the border” In Somaliland, pastoralists are major contributors to the economy, and therefore supporting livestock trade will contribute to avoiding future food crises in this area.
As droughts become ever more prevalent in East Africa, and the problems of pastoralism persist, Oxfam’s cross border work will help to support the pastoralist way of life for future generations to come.
Translation - Spanish Cruzando fronteras
En las fronteras de Etiopia y Somalia, Oxfam, con fondos de ECHO, está ayudando a los pastores a desplazarse a través de las fronteras para resistir las sequías futuras. Reporta Caroline Berger, Oficial de Comunicaciones en este de África.
Sentado bajo la sombra del árbol de acacia que le vio nacer, Abdullahi mastica un poco de qat, una planta ligeramente narcótica, mientras echa un vistazo a sus tierras ancestrales en la frontera de Etiopia y Somalia. Por siglos, Abdullahi y sus abuelos han seguido el estilo de vida pastoril, desplazando sus rebaños de un lugar a otro en busca de pastos frescos.
“Recuerdo que cuando era un niño, el pasto me llegaba a la altura del pecho”, dice sonriendo, “fue una época de prosperidad para nuestro pueblo”.
Veinte años después, de las tierras que Abdullahi recuerda, no queda más que un paisaje árido e inhóspito debido a las sequías recurrentes. El pasto abundante de sus recuerdos ha sido reemplazado por algunos oasis verdes que han aparecido después de la lluvia de esta temporada.
Para pastores itinerantes como Abdullahi, no queda más a donde ir desde que los modelos tradicionales de pastoreo se han visto amenazados por el cambio de las prácticas agrícolas y el aumento de la competencia por las tierras de pastoreo. En la actualidad, a los diferentes modelos de crisis se une un paisaje de cientos de asentamientos agrícolas marcados con vallas improvisadas, unidas con palos de acacia.
“Todas las tierras han sido tomadas”, dice Abdullahi mientras su mirada se pierde en la distancia con tristeza. “Ya no queda sitio para ir a pastar con mis animales”.
Abdullahi es dueño de escasos 150mts2, poco en comparación con los 10km2 de tierras de algunos de sus vecinos. Desde la independencia en 1990, alrededor del 90% de las tierras del oeste de Somalia se ha privatizado y cercado debido a que cada vez más pastores están cambiando su estilo de vida nómada tradicional por uno más sedentario de explotación agrícola. Pero para muchas personas como Mohammed Digale Ahmed de 50 años, el cambio a la vida agrícola es difícil. “No tengo las herramientas para regar mis tierras, que además no son tan fértiles como en otras áreas”.
En Somalia, donde más de dos tercios de la población depende de la tierra para ganarse la vida, el estilo de vida tradicional pastoril se encuentra bajo amenaza. “La vida pastoril se deteriora cada año”, dice con tristeza Abdullahi. El efecto de los cambios a las prácticas agrícolas ya es evidente y muchas personas se han visto forzadas a desplazarse a las ciudades. En la capital de Somalia, Hargeisa, ha surgido un campamento nuevo para albergar la nueva afluencia de pastores desplazados por las sequías.
Por siglos, las familias pastoras han recorrido libremente las tierras sin prestar atención a las fronteras nacionales establecidas sin tener en cuenta la población indígena. Este estilo de vida nómada incrementaba sus chances de resistir las sequías ya que podían llevar su ganado a pastar en tierras más fértiles. Mientras esta existencia sigue en peligro por el cercamiento de tierras en aumento, todavía quedan oportunidades para prosperar siempre y cuando las familias puedan desplazarse por Etiopia, donde el cercamiento de tierras no es tan grande. Oxfam, junto a su socio local Havoyocco, han desarrollado un programa transfronterizo único para ayudar a las comunidades fronterizas.
A Khadilja, una abuela de 70 años que ha sido pastora toda su vida, le preocupa el incremento de cercamiento de tierras. “Cada lugar es una granja” dice, pero añade que aún puede encontrar pasto para su ganado en Etiopia. Otros aldeanos cuentan la misma historia.
El proyecto transfronterizo de Oxfam ayuda a sostener el estilo de vida pastoril, el cual está cada vez más marginalizado. Gracias al apoyo de Oxfam, ahora muchas personas como Abdullahi, tienen la oportunidad de desplazarse hacia nuevas tierras al otro lado de la frontera y de tener acceso a recursos escasos como agua, en especial en temporadas de sequía. Las nueve zonas de captación de agua construidas por Oxfam ayudan a que el ganado tenga acceso a agua potable en ambos lados de las frontera, lejos de las tierras cercadas.
Las esperanzas de Abdullahi en el proyecto, quien perdió más de la mitad de sus animales en la sequía del año pasado, son altas. “Ahora me puedo mover libremente por donde quiera, eso me ayudará a resistir las próximas sequías”, dice. Abdullahi podrá además vender su ganado al otro lado de la frontera, lo que significará “aumentar mis ganancias al poder acceder a nuevos mercados. Ahora recibo $30 por un lechón en Hargeisa, pero con este proyecto podré vender mi ganado en ambos lados de la frontera”. En Somalia, los pastores son los principales contribuyentes a la economía, por tanto, el apoyo al comercio de la ganadería contribuirá a evitar crisis alimentarias futuras en esta área.
Mientras las sequías sigan siendo tan frecuentes en el este de África, y los problemas de pastoreo persistan, el trabajo transfronterizo de Oxfam contribuirá a poyar el estilo de vida pastoril para las futuras generaciones.
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Translation education
Master's degree - University of Westminster
Experience
Years of experience: 4. Registered at ProZ.com: Nov 2010.
English to Spanish (UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER) French to Spanish (UNIVERSITY OF VALLE)
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Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Trados Studio, Wordfast
Bio
A reliable and driven individual with experience in Customer Service, Project Management and Languages related positions across two industries and two continents. Helped Hotel Suites House to restructure, redesign former building and built a new tower.
Master degree in Bilingual Translation, I am passionate about languages, and I have been involved in translation, transcreation and localization projects for the last five years. I am a competitive individual who thrives on meeting deadlines; efficient, reliable, hard working and I like to be challenged especially on linguistic level.
I have collaborated in Linguistic projects for brands like Pepsi, Nikon Cameras, GSK, DHL Express and Colgate through Translation Agencies as TransPerfect and TranslateMedia and Marketing Agencies as Hogarth London and NY. Thanks to my work in Oxfam, I have been part of Global projects from translation to final presentation where cultural awareness and sensitivity are essential.
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• Natural Supporter- Collaboration, extremely empathetic and good problem solver
• People/teams development- Energising, empowering and helping people to reach their best
• High Standard- Own initiative to meet the best results, but also a team player who is always willing to give support
• Excellent Writing Skills- Translation and new content, being able to communicate effectively as appropriate for the needs
• Passion for Languages- Bilingual English/Spanish and basic knowledge of French
• Commitment to international public service
• Industry expertise- Patient related Pharmaceutical and Life Science plus Hotel/Tourism
• Travel culture understanding
Keywords: Spanish, marketing, creativity, localization, localisation, transcreation, Colombia, Latin America, medical, pharmaceutical. See more.Spanish, marketing, creativity, localization, localisation, transcreation, Colombia, Latin America, medical, pharmaceutical, general, English, French, management, patient related, español, inglés, francés, traducción, localización, latinoamérica, Latino América, London. See less.
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