CLEAR Global

🚀 What’s Interesting in Low-Resource Language Tech? 🤔 Welcome to our newest monthly series where we showcase recent advancements and insights into low-resource language technology 📲 🌍 For the first episode, Aimee Ansari explores Cheetah, an open-source toolkit developed by UBC-NLP, focusing on Natural Language Processing for African languages. Cheetah is innovative as it provides pre-trained language models, tools for speech recognition, and support for languages that are underrepresented in tech. Cheetah claims to work in 517 African languages, filling a gap in Natural Language Processing models dominated by major languages like English. ❓ However, it raises some questions on ethics such as real world scenarios and potential biases. Watch Aimee's discussion 👇🏽 #LanguageInclusion #LowResourceTech

🇲🇿 In 2019, after Cyclone Idai greatly affected Mozambique, we helped with language support, including translation, language data, and maps. We provided critical information in several languages to help people learn how to protect themselves, find shelter, ask for additional help, and more. Now, with the devastating consequences of Cyclone #Chido on the rise, we must ensure Mozambicans affected by this crisis to have the support they need to access essential services. Read more about what we found in our language assessment in Beira, the area affected by Cyclone Idai: https://hubs.ly/Q030t1_G0 Photo by EU ECHO (BY-NC-SA)

"Many of the world’s crisis-affected countries are very linguistically diverse. Places like Nigeria have over 500 languages, yet aid is often provided only in a few dominant languages. This language gap risks leaving behind those who are already vulnerable—especially women, children, and people in marginalized communities." Ellie Kemp, Strategic Partnerships Director of CLEAR Global, discusses how language inclusion can greatly help displaced communities in detail. Help us close the language gap. Donate now: https://hubs.ly/Q030hZZW0 #LanguageInclusion

🚨 Early warning systems (EWS) can save lives — but only if people can access and understand them. We are working with Risk-informed Early Action Partnership (REAP) to make progress towards language-inclusive EWS. 📳 Currently, many EWS rely heavily on written messages in national or official languages, usually broadcast through cellular phones. 🚧 This approach excludes those who cannot read, access a phone, or speak the language in use. This affects many groups that are especially vulnerable to climate change like women, rural and Indigenous communities, and people with disabilities. 📣 Addressing these barriers is critical, as language remains a neglected aspect of EWS design and delivery. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/gkQXYNkD #EarlyWarningSystems #LanguageInclusion #DisasterPreparedness Featured image by Amir Jina via UN DRR. CC-BY-NC-SA.

We are #hiring! 📣 CLEAR Global aims to address the widening digital language gap by making language technology available in marginalized languages through the 4 Billion Conversations (4BC) initiative. 🌍 The Language AI for Social Impact - Senior Partnership Officer will play a pivotal role in furthering the 4BC initiative and its associated projects. The initiative is at a pivotal moment, as we and our partners work to bring it to scale while language technology and AI have the world’s attention. 📲 Join us in driving innovation at the intersection of language technology and the social impact sector. Be a part of the 4BC initiative, contributing to impactful solutions that improve communication and collaboration in the community. 🤝🏿 Apply by 10 January: https://lnkd.in/grihhHTr Do you know anyone suitable for this role? Tag them below or share to your network! 🔁 #NonprofitJobs #JoinOurMission

💭 How can we help people in IDP camps? Joy Philip, Research Specialist at CLEAR Global, is back to discuss how we can uplift displaced communities who are vulnerable due to language barriers - and you can be a key participant in this much-needed change! Your support can help us build language technology to enable crisis-affected communities to get the support they need. 📲 Donate now: https://hubs.ly/Q0309GV-0 #LanguageInclusion

🤔 How much do you know about language inclusion? 📝 Test your knowledge and learn more about languages around the world: https://hubs.ly/Q0300V-R0 ✅ How many did you get right? Comment below 👇🏽

🚨 The effects of tropical cyclone #Chido in Mozambique have left many communities in urgent need of support. While Portuguese is the country's official language, only half of the population can speak it. Language exclusion is also gendered as written Portuguese massively excludes women. The other most spoken primary languages in Mozambique, include Makhuwa, Changana, Nyanja, Ndau, Sena, Chwabo, and Tswa. We urge relief organizations to provide services in languages that Mozambique communities can speak and understand. We must ensure that everyone has access to vital services. 🇲🇿 Learn more about Mozambique's languages in our dedicated page: https://lnkd.in/gGVWrkER #LanguageInclusion #HumanitarianAid

When artificial intelligence is developed with intention and focusing on inclusion, we create space for radical change. The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation partnership fuels CLEAR Global's work in advancing a global AI that puts language inclusion first. Including marginalized languages in tech progress should be the norm, so that everyone can participate in the conversations that matter to them. Together, we're building a future where a shared understanding of AI strengthens our human purpose, laying the groundwork for lasting change. Learn more about their bold commitment to AI for good at https://lnkd.in/eJZhHV5S. #PJMFIMPACT2024 #TechForGood #SocialImpact #AIInnovation #HumanCenteredAI

🚨 Investment in language AI remains highly unequal. 📵 This is driven in part by a sense that ‘nothing can be done’ for the 7,000+ languages currently without functioning language technology. We do not accept that nothing can be done. 🙅🏾 And we are leading by example. Check out some of the groundbreaking language technology that we have developed in collaboration with linguists, technologists and civil society in the relevant countries 👉🏾 https://hubs.ly/Q02_JbQf0