Booka Local Connects Foreigners with Native German Speakers to Break Down Everyday Language Barriers

BERLIN, Germany (October 11, 2021)— A new translation app is offering visitors and the booming immigrant community in Germany a way to connect with native speakers, for everything from bureaucratic hurdles to reporting crimes. Booka Local, available in Germany, allows non-native German speakers a way to break through language barriers and hire locals who are fluent in German and understand the local bureaucracy.

The creator of the Booka Local app, Mei Chi Lo, came up with the idea after being sexually assaulted in Germany and faced the challenge of having to file a report in a language she wasn’t fluent in. While she received the support she needed from her German fiancé, she understood others wouldn’t be so lucky, so she channelled her frustration into creating Booka Local in November 2020.

The app offers free translation service to non-German speakers who are sexually assaulted in Germany because Lo wanted to ensure no other sexual assault survivor experienced roadblocks with navigating the bureaucratic and legal process due to language barriers.

For others, an hourly fee is charged at rates much lower than professional translators. Helpers offer assistance making phone calls with utility companies, scheduling appointments, and filling out bureaucratic paperwork, such as visa applications. A user can secure the services of a helper through the app and once the connection is confirmed, the user and helper can meet in person or virtually to complete the task.

The Booka Local team also takes great care to ensure the safety of their customers by screening the local helpers carefully before making their services available on the platform. The team also provides insurance to all the local helpers, takes the utmost care in protecting their safety and ensures their feedback is heard.

The website of the platform has gained traction and overwhelmingly positive reviews since its launch nearly a year ago. The company is now focusing on launching and marketing its app.

“In creating Booka Local, I wanted to deliver something impactful that would ensure that international visitors or immigrants with limited German language skills could avoid the frustrations and embarrassments I experienced in trying to navigate everyday life and government bureaucracies.” said Lo.

“Booka Local app is a valuable tool for non-native German speakers to get assistance with navigating everyday life when language barriers get in the way. It’s our way of lifting people up when language barriers are trying to knock them down.”

To learn more about Booka Local, visit https://www.booka-local.com/. For users in Germany, the app can be found on the Apple App store or Google Play.

CONTACT: Mei Chi Lo
PHONE: +49 030 46795657
EMAIL: meichi.lo@booka-local.com
ADDRESS:
Eichborndamm 142,
13403 Berlin

Booka Local was launched in 2020 as a service through Mei Chi Lo's website. The unexpectedly high popularity led to the expansion of the service and is currently culminating in the release of the new Booka Local app. For victims of sexual assault, the service is free to use. In this way, Booka Local wants to ensure that no other victim is left alone due to language barriers in Germany.

This release was published on openPR.