Join Our Journey: Shifting the System: Zelalem Dessalegn - Statement
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Zelalem Dessalegn Demeke, MScOT
Occupational Therapist | Founder, Grand Assistive Technology Center | Lecturer, University of Gondar
Zelalem Dessalegn Demeke is a leading voice in disability inclusion and rehabilitation in Africa. An occupational therapist with over five years of hands-on experience, he is the founder and executive director of the Grand Assistive Technology Center (GAT) in Ethiopia, which focuses on expanding access to appropriate assistive technology and services for children with disabilities. Zelalem also lectures in the Occupational Therapy Department at the University of Gondar, where he was instrumental in launching Ethiopia’s first occupational therapy programme.
Zelalem is the Ethiopia country representative for the Enablement Foundation (formerly Cerebral Palsy Africa), delivering family-centred projects that directly support children with disabilities. He is a Mandela Washington Fellowship alumnus, with a Civic Leadership certificate from Michigan State University, and holds a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Queen’s University, Canada.
His work blends academic leadership, grassroots impact, and systems-level change. Through GAT and his advocacy, Zelalem is challenging the narrative of charity and dependency—championing locally led, sustainable, and user-informed solutions that ensure dignity, inclusion, and independence for children and their families. He is committed to reshaping how assistive technology is delivered in Africa—from imported aid to African innovation.
Occupational Therapist | Founder, Grand Assistive Technology Center | Lecturer, University of Gondar
Zelalem Dessalegn Demeke is a leading voice in disability inclusion and rehabilitation in Africa. An occupational therapist with over five years of hands-on experience, he is the founder and executive director of the Grand Assistive Technology Center (GAT) in Ethiopia, which focuses on expanding access to appropriate assistive technology and services for children with disabilities. Zelalem also lectures in the Occupational Therapy Department at the University of Gondar, where he was instrumental in launching Ethiopia’s first occupational therapy programme.
Zelalem is the Ethiopia country representative for the Enablement Foundation (formerly Cerebral Palsy Africa), delivering family-centred projects that directly support children with disabilities. He is a Mandela Washington Fellowship alumnus, with a Civic Leadership certificate from Michigan State University, and holds a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Queen’s University, Canada.
His work blends academic leadership, grassroots impact, and systems-level change. Through GAT and his advocacy, Zelalem is challenging the narrative of charity and dependency—championing locally led, sustainable, and user-informed solutions that ensure dignity, inclusion, and independence for children and their families. He is committed to reshaping how assistive technology is delivered in Africa—from imported aid to African innovation.
