Solano Publications Ltd, a publishing company based in Kenya has started a project of translating story books into indigenous languages in support of literacy in African languages.
According to the publisher, “there is a serious shortage of reading material in African languages which has led to a low reading culture, especially to those not competent in English, or in any of the other mostly spoken languages around the world”.
So, this project is to help address this shortage and to safeguard the endangered African languages. “Through a translation of a single story into as many African languages as possible, the amount of the reading material available in our mother tongues will increase.
“In this pursuit, and with permission from the author, we are accepting applications from anyone willing to translate Princes Sunflower and the Bee into their mother tongue or into any other language,” says Solano Publications Ltd.
Princes Sunflower and the Bee is a children’s story book originally written in Gĩkũyũ language as Ihũa wa Riũa na Gĩcũkĩ by Andrew Maina and published by Solano Publications Ltd.
The Translation Panel is co-chaired by Professor Goro Kamau of Laikipia University and Muthoni wa Gichuru, a Kenyan writer. All the translations shall be launched in January next year as part of the celebration of the African Languages Week (ALW). This is a week set aside by the African Union (AU) for celebrating African languages.
All the profits generated from this translation shall go to the activities of Kendeka Prize for African Literature. Andrew Maina is the founder of Kendeka Prize for African Literature and a member of the Translation Panel.
Application to Translate
- The deadline for the application 15th August, 2022.
- All communications in this project must be in English.
- The application must include the legal name of the applicant, telephone number, a short Bio, age, country of origin and the language in which they intend to translate.
- The applicant agrees that the Translation Panel may publicize the fact that the applicant has been selected to translate the story.
- The application for the translation is not a guarantee that the applicant shall be granted the right to translate.
- Every translator confirms that they are competent in the language they intend to translate in.
- A soft copy of the English translation will be made available to the successful applicants.
- The Translation Panel’s decision is final.
- The application to translate this story should be sent to; solanopublications@gmail.com.
For more details, visit www.solanopubications.com
