In this episode we talk to Bindiya Jha, a Nepali healthcare interpreter and interpreter trainer based in Massachusetts. We spoke about her transition to remote interpreting and the rewarding experiences she had with it, working for the non-profit Found in Translation, and the intricacies of working with a language of lesser diffusion.
Here are some of the highlights of what we discussed:
Bindiya believes in language access and equity. She is a community-based educator, healthcare administrator, and an advocate with a focus on healthcare interpreting. She speaks Nepali and is actively involved with the Bhutanese refugee population in MA. She has a Masters in International Development and Social Change from Clark University. She is a freelance CCHI-certified Medical Interpreter and a Certified Court Interpreter in Nepali.
Bindiya has worked in refugee resettlement from 2007 to 2013 and has extensive experience in immigration law. Since 2013, she has worked at Caregiver Homes and provides operational support to Adult Foster Care programs along with online digital care coaching for Nepali speaking caregivers. At present she holds a position of Program Director, Interpreter Education at Found in Translation. She is responsible for interpreting program designs, implementation, mentoring new trainers and providing continuing education opportunities for trained interpreters. Also, she is a trainer for Nepali medical interpreter students in various platforms across the state of MA. In all her roles, she has been a passionate advocate for languages of lesser diffusion like Nepali and promotes language access for essential community services.
This episode was recorded on June 19, 2020.
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For more information on Found in Translation, go here
Music by Emmitt Fenn
Graphic by Marcelle Carlson