Author: SIL Tanzania

Konongo community already feeling positive impact of new oral translation work

Konongo community already feeling positive impact of new oral translation work

Posted by | 7 Apr, 2019

“Sharing God seems easy now, with Scripture recorded in my language.” A Konongo speaker, named Lightness, took part in an Bible story-ing workshop. She has recordings on her phone, and plays them in the market. “A lot of women and children gather,” she adds, “and they enjoy listening.” Lightness has learned to narrate Bible stories orally, and lead group studies in her village. Meanwhile the new Konongo translation project works hard, encouraged by such early impact…

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“Jesus and I are not just friends, we are one thing…”

“Jesus and I are not just friends, we are one thing…”

Posted by | 1 Apr, 2019

“I’ve heard John 15:5 many times, in Swahili and English,” said Paulo Kijuu, a Rangi translator. “But the expression of ‘abiding in Jesus’ is not clear to Rangi speakers.” The team began to search for a way to make the meaning clear. “When we found it,” said Kijuu, “my eyes got teary because I could picture my own relationship with Jesus. I could feel his love…”

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New oral translation begins in Ruwila community

New oral translation begins in Ruwila community

Posted by | 26 Mar, 2019

The Ruwila language community has begun translation work as part of the Katavi Cluster Project. After initial community partner planning meetings, the team decided to use Render, an innovative computer software for oral translation. Nine Ruwila speakers took part in a weeks-long workshop training for the task ahead…

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Youth literacy fueled by five-way partnership

Youth literacy fueled by five-way partnership

Posted by | 10 Mar, 2019

School children in the Burunge and Rangi language communities enjoyed literacy classes in their own language at simultaneous workshops. “It was fun to watch them follow in their new reading primers,” said a guest from funding partner Wycliffe USA. Instructors from SIL taught the lessons at an after-school program operated by Compassion International…

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They heard Jesus speak in their own language

They heard Jesus speak in their own language

Posted by | 7 Dec, 2018

Eight more teams in Mbeya Cluster Project have completed script translation for the JESUS film. Several teams checked theirs with consultants. Others then tested with reviewers. “We are delighted with the success,” said a member of one team, which held an actors’ workshop and completed their recordings. When another team’s actors watched their finished film together, it was a special moment…

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Scripture engagement ignited by local listening groups

Scripture engagement ignited by local listening groups

Posted by | 24 Nov, 2018

Community interest in Scripture translation runs high when audio copies hit the streets. Since a listening group workshop in the Ikizu language area, families and friends are listening together, spreading fresh demand for more. After a training for church leaders in the Kwaya area, one pastor played Scripture on the church’s sound system so the neighbors could hear. That’s drawn a lot of attention, too…

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Adult literacy expanding quickly in Mara Region

Adult literacy expanding quickly in Mara Region

Posted by | 21 Nov, 2018

“They were very excited,” said Neema (SIL Literacy team). In the Ikoma language area, Neema and a colleague had been training 19 people to teach transitional literacy classes for adults in their own language. “They promised to go and use what they learned,” Neema said, “to serve their community.” When the team returned just a week later, what they found happening surprised them…

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Language identity sparks new research by linguists

Language identity sparks new research by linguists

Posted by | 18 Oct, 2018

Originally ‘clustered’ together with Simbiti (a related language), the 30,000 people who speak Kiroba “have such a strong group identity” that linguists have begun to investigate the need for a specially adapted translation. Their latest research study began with a week collecting Kiroba words in the village of Nyabange…

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Zanaki Scripture played on Megavoice player

Zanaki Scripture played on Megavoice player

Posted by | 9 Aug, 2018

An older Zanaki man heard about work to translate Scripture into his language. But he knows he will never read it for himself, as his eyesight is quickly failing. Then he heard that God’s Word in Zanaki is being recorded for listening, too..

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