Terms of Reference (TOR) for transcription, translation and subtitling of documentary

About the project

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia, through its Humanitarian Action Programme, is implementing the Ethiopia Joint Response (EJR) Project, a three-year initiative launched in 2024. Designed to respond to the urgent needs of vulnerable communities, the project has reached nearly 136,000 individuals, including children, women, elders, and people with disabilities across Midhaga Tola Woreda in East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region, and Gidan Woreda in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region thus far.

These communities have faced profound challenges stemming from prolonged droughts, protracted conflict, and deeply rooted harmful traditional practices. The EJR project has emerged as a beacon of hope, bringing lifesaving support while laying the foundation for sustainable recovery and long-term development.

In Midhaga Tola Woreda in East Hararghe Zone, the project focusing on three key intervention areas, food security and livelihoods, protection, and multi-purpose cash (MPC) support has had a significant and ongoing impact on communities long affected by both natural and man-made disasters.

As this project continues to meet its targets and deliver lifesaving support where it is needed most, we aim to document its best practices and success stories to serve both as a benchmark for similar initiatives and for increased visibility. To this end, a comprehensive 1-hour and 10-minutes documentary has been produced to highlight the project’s impact.

Overall Objective

To ensure the documentary on the EJR Project is accessible to a broader audience, including donors and the general public, by providing a consistent and professional English transcription, translation and subtitling inclusion.

The Specific Objectives include:

• To transcribe the existing documentary content in Amharic and Afaan Oromo into text format.
• To accurately translate the transcriptions into English, ensuring the meaning and tone remain intact.
• Create a synchronized subtitle SRT file by aligning the English translations with the correct timing, enabling seamless subtitle integration by the SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia Brand and Communications team.

Scope of work

• The documentary is 1 hour and 10 minutes long.
• Content is in Amharic and Afaan Oromo, requiring transcription, translation, and subtitling into English language.
• The deliverables include; a complete PDF of the transcribed content in Amharic and Afaan Oromo, a translated English text file, with consistent and accurate language and a synchronized subtitle file in SRT format for video integration.

Expected Outcomes:

• Accurate Documentation: A professionally transcribed and translated text file in English that reflects the original documentary content in Amharic and Afaan Oromo.
• Consistency Across Languages: Unified and coherent messaging in English, maintaining the tone, meaning, and cultural nuances of the original languages.
• Subtitle-Ready Output: A synchronized subtitle file in SRT format, accurately timed and formatted according to standard subtitle specifications (including line length, reading speed, and timing), ready for immediate use by the Brand and Communications team.
• Timely Delivery: All deliverables including transcriptions, English translation, and subtitle files prepared and submitted within the agreed timeframe.

Estimated Timeframe

The work is expected to take one week to complete.

Responsibilities

SOS CVE

• Provide the documentary in its current format, including the Amharic and Afaan Oromo audio.
• Share any supporting materials or scripts to aid the transcription, translation, and subtitling process.
• Offer guidance on specific terminologies and context to ensure accuracy.
• Review and approve draft transcriptions, translations, and subtitles before final delivery.
• Ensure timely feedback and communication with the service provider.

Service Provider:

• Accurately transcribe the documentary content from Amharic and Afaan Oromo into text format.
• Translate the transcriptions into clear and grammatically correct English, maintaining the tone and meaning.
• Apply precise start–end timestamps to the transcription and translation of spoken dialogue to ensure seamless synchronization, facilitate efficient editing workflows, and enable the creation of accurate and properly timed subtitles.
• Create and deliver a properly formatted subtitle file in SRT format, ready for integration by the SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia Brand and Communications team.
• Ensure consistency and coherence across languages in the translated content.
• Deliver all outputs including transcriptions, translations, and subtitle files in the required formats and within the agreed timeline.
• Maintain confidentiality and professionalism throughout the project.

Intellectual Property

All outputs produced in this action shall remain the property of SOS CVE, who shall have exclusive rights over their use.

• At least 3 years’ relevant experience in transcribing and translating documentaries such as best practice videos in the development/NGO sector
• Competent and skilled staff or team members in both local languages as well as English.
• Legally registered & licensed in all aspects of the Ethiopian government requirement.