Meet Dolly Srour

Dolly was born in Beirut, Lebanon and has been a leading Arabic interpreter at LanguageLoop for the past 3 years, specialising in working in early childhood and development
services.

Dolly came to be an interpreter through volunteering with the Hume City Council, facilitating art classes and helping out by interpreting for different groups within the community. Through this volunteer work she first provided emergency relief for refugees and asylum seekers. She was then drawn to working with communities involving mothers and children, working with a parents’ advisory group and helping to provide domestic violence relief. As well as providing art classes for these communities, she was also the curator for an art exhibition to display the women’s work.

“Trying to convey the message between English and non-English speakers and helping vulnerable people to express themselves is what I love” said Dolly.

Dolly believes that the career of the interpreter is a vocation aiming to ensure communication between different people of different cultures, providing so much more than simply interpreting from one language to another.

“Other than good verbal skills that every interpreter should have, the non-verbal expressions that I use to try convey the messages to the maximum is an important part of what I do” she explained.

One of Dolly’s most rewarding experiences working with LanguageLoop was at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute where she worked with the parents of sick children and researchers to find the best way to prevent disease and treat children, to give them the healthiest possible start to life.

LanguageLoop often hears stories from those that Dolly works with about how her work has made a meaningful difference, both for the clients and Non-English speakers she gives a voice to. One school recently shared that “in very difficult and trying circumstances, not only for the staff involved but also for Dolly, she did a great job in interpreting what was needed, and she remained calm and professional the whole time.”

One of Dolly’s favourite quotes translated to English means “good language cures great sores” and her favourite word is ‘wisdom’ explaining that “age brings experience and a good mind wisdom”.

When Dolly isn’t bringing her wisdom and bettering the world through giving a voice to the vulnerable, she loves to read, watch movies and documentaries and continues to be an artist through drawing.

Interested in becoming a LanguageLoop interpreter or translator like Dolly? Find out more including how to apply or email us at apply@languageloop.com.au