What led you to the language industry and your current position?

Young adults rarely know exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives. I’m the exception. Remember those friendship notes that you used to pass in class? When I started correcting my friends’ grammar in those notes — in Grade 5, with a red pen — I knew that language had chosen me! This was not a complete surprise: My mother was a passionate and much-loved Afrikaans teacher, and I grew up in a home filled with books and words. At school, my enthusiasm for language — especially my mother tongue, Afrikaans — blossomed, both in class and at eisteddfods and public-speaking events.

After school, I obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities and a Postgraduate Diploma in Translation from Stellenbosch University. I started my career as a language practitioner in stakeholder communications before joining Folio Online in 2019. While my work prior to joining Folio was interesting and dynamic, it lacked a human element, as I never truly experienced its impact on our target audiences. My current position and the portfolios I manage allow for constant collaboration with others to ensure that the work we do and the services we offer have a tangible, positive effect on people’s lives.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

My work at Folio Online combines my passion for language with my love for people. Meeting interesting people from across the globe and learning about different cultures and languages is priceless. However, my greatest joy is facilitating communication and empowering people from the ground up.

My two main portfolios are voice-overs and Folio InterTel. Voice-overs localize multimedia content for audiences of all ages. This provides information beyond the written word, which overcomes barriers caused by different literacy levels. And it’s a bonus that the voice-over portfolio connects me with my love of theater!

Folio InterTel, in turn, is Folio Online’s telephonic and on-site medical interpreting service, which offers interpreting assistance in 40 languages, including South African Sign Language (SASL). Through managing this service, I have come to realize the massive impact of qualified SASL interpreters. Without these interpreters’ assistance, the Deaf community’s access to medical services is severely hampered, while their social and cultural upliftment is also restricted. Knowing that this essential service breaks down language barriers so that patients can communicate effectively with medical professionals is something I am immensely proud of. It inspires me to continue advocating for equal access in the South African public healthcare system.