Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Alumni Highlight #7: Haben Niguse Tesfamichael

| 8 July 2026 |

We are highlighting the careers of Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program alumni. In this edition we focus on Haben Niguse Tesfamichael, who graduated from the MSc Occupational Therapy program at Queen's in 2020.

Haben Niguse Tesfamichael is a pioneer of occupational therapy (OT) education in Ethiopia, an academic faculty member, and a social entrepreneur. A Mastercard Foundation Scholar, he earned his MSc in Occupational Therapy from Queen's University in Canada. Haben currently serves as a Lecturer of Occupational Therapy at the University of Gondar, a position he has held for five years, where he focuses on curriculum development, academic instruction, and training the nation's first generation of home-grown OT scholars.

Beyond higher education, Haben is the Co-founder of the Grand Assistive Technology (GAT) Center, where he has worked for three years to drive the innovation and distribution of context-appropriate assistive devices. He also serves as the Manager of Enabling Enterprises, the center’s income-generation wing, directing a business strategy that funds community outreach and creates vocational employment for individuals with disabilities.

School of Rehabilitation Therapy