Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Alumni Highlight #3: Zelalem Dessalegn Demeke

| 13 September 2024 | 27 views

Each quarter, we will be highlighing the career of Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program alumni. In this edition we focus on Zelalem Dessalegn Demeke, who graduated from the Masters in Occupational Therapy program at Queen's.

Zelalem Dessalegn Demeke is a lecturer and former head of the Occupational Therapy Department at the University of Gondar, where he was instrumental in establishing Ethiopia's first Occupational Therapy Program at the University.

He is also the founder and executive director of the Grand Assistive Technology (GAT) Center, an NGO in Ethiopia focused on expanding access to assistive technology for children with disabilities. Additionally, Zelalem serves as Ethiopia's country representative for Enablement Foundation (formerly Cerebral Palsy Africa) and runs where he runs several community development projects for children with disabilities and their families.

Zelalem holds a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from Queen's University, Canada, and is an alumnus of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, where he earned a Civic Leadership certificate from Michigan State University. His work is dedicated to creating inclusive environments and improving access to assistive technology to enhance the health and participation of children with disabilities.

School of Rehabilitation Therapy