Brian Makhembu
Lead Swahili Linguist & Software Engineer
Kenya (Available Globally)
+254 758 805988
brian@darajadigital.com
linguist.darajadigital.com
Professional Profile
Elite Swahili localization specialist with deep technical expertise in Software Engineering. Proven track record managing complex linguistic pipelines for enterprise clients in the Medical, Legal, and Tech sectors. Combines native cultural mastery with ISO 17100 compliance and advanced QA workflows.
Professional Experience
Founder & Lead Linguist
2024 – PresentDaraja Digital
- Provide certified English-to-Swahili translation and interpreting for medical and legal sectors.
- Execute full-scale technical localization for software platforms targeting the East African market.
- Maintain strict ISO 17100 translation standards and multi-tiered QA workflows.
Translation & Localization Lead
2018 – 2024Jambo Linguists
- Architected translation memory systems and standardized terminology databases.
- Managed 15+ major enterprise client accounts, ensuring linguistic consistency.
- Vetted and validated native linguists, enforcing strict quality control protocols.
Education
Software Engineering Training
ALX Africa
Certifications
- DBS Enhanced (Equivalent)
- DPSI Level – Medical & Legal
- ISO 17100:2015 Compliance
Core Competencies
Medical TranslationLegal Document TranslationSimultaneous InterpretingSoftware Localization (i18n)African Market SEOTranslation Memory MgmtReact / Next.jsTypeScriptTailwind CSS