Birhanu is a doctoral student in Mechanical and Materials Engineering, a Mastercard Foundation Fellow and faculty member at the University of Gondar in Ethiopia. He received his BSc in Mechanical Engineering at Mekelle University Ethiopia in 2006 and MSc in Thermal Engineering at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia in 2011. Before Birhanu started his PhD career at Queens University, he worked at the University of Gondar (UoG) for more than 10 years as a faculty member in Mechanical Engineering Department engaged with teaching, research, and community services activities. Apart from academic responsibilities, he also worked in different academic leadership roles; 2 years as Department Head of Mechanical Engineering Department, 2 years as a Dean of Faculty of Technology, and 3 years as a Director of Institute of Technology at  the University of Gondar. Birhanu had a great aspiration to discover and learn new things by doing a high-level applied research (PhD research) in the field of Mechanical Engineering. He felt very excited when he saw the call for PhD application at Queen’s University through the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship program in collaboration with the University of Gondar. Birhanu applied for the scholarship program and it was a dream come true for him when he got accepted by Queen’s University for a PhD program in Mechanical and Materials Engineering department. The other crucial factor that motivates him towards Mastercard Foundation scholarship program is its aim of supporting disabled people by improving access to quality education and striving to create conducive environment through research and development activities. Birhanu is a kind of person who always desires to help such disadvantaged people in the community by any means he can. And this creates a golden opportunity for him to be engaged with research activities in the area of assistive technology that will have a meaningful impact for people with disabilities. Birhanu truly appreciates the initiative behind the collaboration between University of Gondar and Queen’s University as it is primarily aimed to support disabled people living in developing countries by improving access to quality education, creating employment opportunities, conducting problem solving research, and supporting them through community service activities. It is evident that both universities mutually benefit (especially UoG) from the partnership in knowledge exchange, capacity building, curriculum development and human resource development. In his opinion, the collaboration is undergoing effectively and smoothly starting from its launching date despite the presence of some inevitable uncertainties during implementation process.

Birhanu strongly believes that his research output will have a positive impact on disability as it focuses on design and development of assistive technology for disabled people in resource limited countries. After completing his PhD degree, Birhanu will return to his home country to contribute and share the knowledge and skills that he has acquired at Queen’s University.  More specifically, he will share the skills and experiences on engineering education and research that he gained here to the newly established Institute of Technology at UoG. Birhanu also has a plan to create special collaboration between the institute of technology at UoG and Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Queen’s.  Besides to contributions to his home university, Birhanu will aggressively participate in community engagement activities and leadership roles believing that we are the next generation African leaders responsible for regional transformation.

Fisseha is a doctoral student in Nursing, a Mastercard Foundation Fellow and an Assistant Professor of Nursing at University of Gondar. He received his BSc degree from University of Gondar and MSc degree from Addis Ababa University. He is passionate about chronic disease management. This passion has led Fisseha to work with patients with diabetes and patient empowerment programs at University of Gondar tertiary referral hospital. He has worked as a program coordinator for continue education programs and participated in patient education outreach initiatives. Fisseha’s Ph.D. project area is on initiating and strengthening self-management programs in Ethiopia. He is very keen to create innovative and cost-effective diabetes self-management programs. Fisseha is passionate about the care and rehabilitation of patients with chronic health conditions and he is always eager to invest his time and energy towards patient empowerment. Fisseha believes that being part of the Mastecard Foundation Scholars Program will fulfill his personal and professional goals. His current Ph.D. program at Queen’s will also allow him to build upon his foundation of clinical practice, personal experience and passion. He believes that the collaboration between these two universities created a great opportunity to enhance research capacity and set a foundation for a joint research projects on inclusive education and community-based rehabilitation in Ethiopia.

Building a more deep and broad understanding of research methods through his PhD program will allow Fisseha to serve as a better mentor, coach and support to students who are addressing the multifaceted needs of patients with chronic health conditions. Furthermore, Fisseha’s PhD research will help him conceptualize the unique and contextual needs of people living with chronic health conditions and explore how he can use this knowledge to improve treatment and management of these complex conditions. In addition, Fisseha hopes that his future work will improve education of students as they learn about the care of patients with complex health conditions in Ethiopia.

Hiwot is a doctoral student in Rehabilitation Science, a Mastercard Foundation Fellow and faculty member at the University of Gondar in Ethiopia. She received her BA in Sociology at Addis Ababa University in 2014 and MA in Social Work in Addis Ababa University in 2016. Hiwot was looking for an opportunity to advance her knowledge on how to help and work with vulnerable members of the society, especially people with disabilities. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program presented an opportunity to pursue her study at Queen’s University, Rehabilitation Science program. At the end of her study, Hiwot expects herself to have the knowledge, skills and opportunity to ensure equal participation of people with disabilities in different aspects of their lives. Moreover, she expects to have the skills to conduct research and generate new knowledge to contribute to the field of rehabilitation. The collaboration between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University will benefit both Universities in terms of exchanging pedagogical skills among staff members and opening the way to collaborative research activities regarding rehabilitation, inclusive education and so on.

Hiwot’s research area focuses on enhancing Community Based Rehabilitation Program’s services to be able to provide an opportunity for women with intellectual disability have access to sexual and reproductive health services. This study can benefit the society, especially women with intellectual disability to enjoy their rights to the fullest. The study will also contribute in advancing the services of CBR program at the University of Gondar by adapting the experiences of other countries on the area.

Selamawit is a doctoral student in Rehabilitation Science, a Mastercard Foundation Fellow and faculty member at the University of Gondar in Ethiopia. Before starting her PhD she was teaching, providing community services and conducting research at University of Gondar Ethiopia. In addition to that she has been working as a quality care unit officer with various activities such as reviewing and approving newly developed and revised curricula, organizing trainings and conferences for teachers and developing guideline and working documents for the university. Selamawit’s motivation to be part of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program comes from the need to understand disability, inclusive education, and rehabilitation. Specifically, she has the interest to help individuals with mental illness in the process of their recovery, participation with the society and being independent at work, in school and day to day activities. From Queens University Selamawit expects to learn different research approaches, the concept of rehabilitation and how to conduct studies that could solve the society’s problems.  The collaboration between Queens University and University of Gondar is a great opportunity for knowledge exchange and experience sharing. The two universities have their own qualities and experience in providing knowledge to the society and serving the community. Such kind of collaboration makes their work more advanced and accessible to the community. All the activities done so far including the scholar’s program and research are an exemplary procedure to reach out to individuals with disabilities.

After Selamawit finishes her study, her vision is to work on improving the recovery process of individuals with mental illnesses so that they could have a better quality of life, societal participation, education, and work. These could be done by designing and implementing projects, providing trainings and conducting studies that focus on mental illness and community based rehabilitation.

Sintayehu Daba is a doctoral student in Rehabilitation Science, and he is a Mastercard Foundation Fellow. He is a faculty member at the University of Gondar, Ethiopia. He did his BSc degree in Occupational Health and Safety and his Master’s in Public Health at the University of Gondar. He has been working as a researcher and lecturer at the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Institute of Public Health in University of Gondar, Ethiopia. Sintayehu has been involved in different academic activities like teaching, research, community services and administrative positions. As PI or Co-investigator, he has carried out several research projects successfully at university and through third-party funded projects. He has always had an interest in the interdisciplinary projects and participated in different activities related to disability. He finds himself consistently engaged with the intersection of occupational health and chronic pain. Sintayehu believes that the Mastercard Foundation scholars’ program is a great opportunity to enrich his knowledge and professional outgrowth, thereby contribute to the improvement of rehabilitation service in Ethiopia and improve several dimensions of the health of people living with disabilities. To add a real contribution of knowledge in the field of rehabilitation science and add new knew knowledge to what has previously been known in this area, he really wants to carry out research work in the field of rehabilitation science. Hence, he strongly feels that this scholarship will facilitate both his short and long-term career aspirations, and the kind of training offered is compatible with his interests. Sintayehu believes that the collaboration between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University offers the opportunity to share experiences, exchange staff, advance knowledge and practice on rehabilitation science and create a platform to conduct collaborative research in the area of disability and inclusive education. The collaboration will also facilitate the University of Gondar staff’s capacity building and lay a foundation for the improvement of rehabilitation and inclusive education in Ethiopia. Hence, he strongly believes that the collaboration will bring a real change in the area mentioned.

Sintayehu’s research focuses on assessing the effectiveness of multidisciplinary rehabilitation in patients with disability due to chronic low back pain in Ethiopia. He firmly believes that his work will lay a foundation for tailoring and successfully implementing multidisciplinary rehabilitation in the Ethiopian context. It has a significant impact on those at risk of significant limitations in their physical, mental, and or social functioning due to chronic low back pain and can achieve an independent and meaningful life. Moreover, his study will also help policymakers develop best practice clinical guidelines/policies and implementation for chronic low back pain rehabilitation in Ethiopia. His professional goals are to obtain a position in chronic disabilities management and utilize his knowledge and leadership skills to encourage and promote innovative ideas to advance the rehabilitation program in Ethiopia. After completing his PhD program, Sintayehu aims to teach, conduct research, and strengthen community-based rehabilitation programs through advanced research in Ethiopia.

Abebe received his Masters of Laws (LL.M) from Bahir Dar University in 2013. He received his degree in Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Hawassa University in 2009. Since Sept. 2009, Abebe has been serving as assistant lecturer, lecturer and assistant professor in the School of Law at the University of Gondar.

He taught several courses, both in the undergraduate and postgraduate programs, including human rights law, ethical issues in human rights, seminar current human rights issues, the law of refugees and internally displaced persons, regional human rights systems, introduction to law, criminal law, criminal procedure law, business law, tort law etc. Besides his teaching experience, Abebe has been actively participating in research and community service projects focusing  on his areas of research interests: disability rights, access to justice, prisoners’ rights, women legal empowerment. He has published journal articles on issues such as the enforcement of the principle of legality in Ethiopia, the viability of the introduction of Plea Bargaining in the Ethiopian criminal justice system, the role of law schools legal aid clinics in improving access to justice in Ethiopia, the decision making power of women in the household in Ethiopia, the participation of women in gainful activities; and a book chapter on the regulatory frameworks on non-technology in Africa.

In addition to teaching and research engagements, Abebe has been engaged actively in various leadership roles in and beyond the Law School.  He has been serving as the Chair Person of the Consortium of the Ethiopian Law Schools since May 2017-September 2020.  Abebe has been the Dean of the School of Law of the University of Gondar since May 2017-September 2020. He was also the Director of the Legal Aid Center of the School of Law at the University of Gondar from May 2015-May 2017.  He also served as the Head of the Department of Law, School of Law of University of Gondar, since Sept. 2013-May 2015. Abebe’s research and community engagements have allowed him to see that the justice system is not inclusive of the community’s most disadvantaged sections. Persons with disabilities are one of those who are marginalized not only in various socio-political settings but also in accessing the justice system. Without ensuring their right to equal access to justice, it is unlikely persons with disabilities will get their human rights respected, promoted and protected. This, therefore, demands overcoming the barriers to access to justice, which in turn requires proper identification of the barriers existing on the ground. This is a long way to go, which Abebe aspires to engage as part of the solution through his PhD study. Abebe is not only going to get his degree but to learn how problem-solving legal research can flourish to make sure that the law is serving the society as intended in his home country-Ethiopia.

Abebe’s PhD study, as it is directly related to access to justice for persons with disabilities, encompasses many issues of the human rights of persons with disabilities. The right to quality and accessible education, the right to work, the right to access public service are meaningless for persons with disabilities unless they can equally access the justice system and able to seek remedy whenever such rights are violated. Without such equal engagement of persons with disabilities, it is unlikely to think about sustainable development in developing countries like Ethiopia and in the most advanced countries.  Abebe feels that this is the Mastercard Foundation’s priority mission as far as persons with disabilities are concerned.  Besides the contribution of his PhD study, Abebe believes that the knowledge, skills, and experiences he will acquire during his stay at Queens will enable him to contribute to ensuring inclusive and quality education through his future research, teaching and advocacy engagements.

Addisu Taye Abate is a doctoral student in Nursing, a Mastercard Foundation Fellow, and an Assistant Professor of Medical Nursing at the University of Gondar. He did his BSc in Nursing in 2010 and his MSc in Medical Nursing in 2017. In addition to his formal BSc and MSc study, Addisu has participated and is certified in various training and research conferences, like “Operational Research Protocol Development,” “Research Communication for Greater Impact,” and “Public Health Emergency Management.” Addisu has worked in Motta, East Gojjam health office as a Curative and Rehabilitation Officer for 3 years, and since 2013, he has been working as a lecturer and researcher at the University of Gondar. He has published several scholarly research articles in peer-reviewed journals. Addisu has also been involved in curriculum development, coaching, coordinating clinical practices, advising, leading research projects, and delivering lectures for nursing students within the university.

In his previous experience, Addisu found nursing as a career for reliable, dedicated, and trusted people who are able to develop relationships with patients quickly. Since Addisu has these qualities and wants to make a difference to people, a nursing career perfectly matches his career and life goals. Therefore, continuing his career as a nurse is the logical choice to meet his ambition. Addisu believes that the Ph.D. program offered by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Queen’s University is valuable to him to develop research, teaching, and leadership skills necessary for a successful academic career focused on research and teaching. After

completing his study, Addisu plans to return to his country and share his knowledge and experience with his students and colleagues. Moreover, he plans to work on research that can influence policies in general.

As the two universities, the University of Gondar and Queen’s University have their own qualities and experience in serving the community, Addisu believes that the collaboration between them will benefit both universities to achieve their mission and make their work more advanced and accessible for the community they serve. Addisu’s research focuses on inclusive health, Access to Healthcare Services for People with Disabilities. In a country where there is no specific disability-focused health policy and limited research evidence in this field, this study is believed to be significant for people with disabilities, policymakers, educators, and researchers. Moreover, including disability as a topic in standards of nursing practice and documents describing the scope of nursing could potentially increase attention to the issue in nursing education and practice.

Adhanom Gebreegziabher Baraki is a doctoral student in Rehabilitation Sciences at Queen’s University. His work experience includes two years as a clinician at the primary health care level and six years as an academician and researcher at the University of Gondar, Ethiopia. Adhanom is an active researcher and Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the same university.

Adhanom’s previous research on the mental health status of people with cancer motivated him to learn more about mental health issues among vulnerable groups of people. Fortunately, he received a scholarship from the Mastercard Foundation that works to promote Africa’s next generation of leaders, so he joined the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Queen’s University. He hopes to learn several sets of skills and knowledge essential for conducting and leading high-level research in the discipline of rehabilitation.

The University of Gondar and Queen’s University collaboration has made the life of students easier by providing the chance of securing high-profile advisors and so on. The research area Adhanom is working on focuses on people with physical disabilities. He will explore the health-related quality of life, mental health disorders and primary health care access. Therefore, it is highly consistent with the overall goal of the Mastercard Foundation. Adhanom believes he will bring important sets of knowledge and skills back to Ethiopia with the idea of inclusiveness.

Amelework Mekonnen Emirie’s first tertiary-level study was at Gondar College of Teachers Education in the Department of Social Science. Then, she completed both her Bachelor and Masters’ degrees consecutively at the University of Gondar in the Department of Development and Environmental Management Studies (BA) & Natural Resource and Environmental Management (MA). Prior to Amelework’s current study, she worked as a teacher at the University of Gondar Community School, a Project Coordinator at St. George’s Charity School and a Lecturer at the University of Gondar.

Amelework’s intent to be part of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars’ program emanated from the Foundation is working areas and program focus. The fact that the Foundation is working on education, CBR, livelihood, and inclusion made Amelework interested in being part of the program. As a PhD Fellow at Queens University, Amelework is excited about the opportunities for academic and research experience.

Collaboration between the two universities plays a significant role in sharing knowledge, lived experience and skill. The UoG/Queens partnership created an amazing educational opportunity for scholars to pursue their Masters or PhD study and widen their academic scope. More importantly, this partnership contributes to generating knowledge in disability and inclusion. Amelework has planned to research the climate change adaptation determinant to improve the livelihood of people with disabilities. This encompasses from assessment of the socio-economic to institutional aspects, specifically on disability, which is one of the focus areas of the Mastercard Foundation. In the process, she hopes to widen and bring to UoG knowledge of interdisciplinary research and experience, using an inclusive approach to tackle environmental problems.

Biniyam Abebaw Abebe studied Sociology at the University of Gondar and received a Bachelors’ degree before joining Addis Ababa University for his Masters’ degree in Sociology of Health and Illness. Biniyam has been teaching at the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Gondar and has engaged in various research and community service projects. He has worked as an educator, researcher, and community development volunteer with various partners.

Biniyam is highly interested in social justice, sustainable development, and community participation. At Queen’s, he expects to learn research, critical thinking, and analytical skills within the core subject matter of Rehabilitation Science. Generally, Biniyam expects to learn from the expertise and experience of his professors and colleagues some of the best practices (theoretical and practical), methods, challenges, and prospects in building an inclusive society where vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, have equal opportunities and voices.

The Queen’s- UoG collaboration has been an excellent project with an inspiring success story. It has been reaching the lives of many students and faculty. Most importantly, it will create huge potential in rehabilitation and disability research and practice, leading to a broader collaboration between African and Western researchers and institutions for social transformation. Biniyam believes his research will bestow insights on the intersectionality between disability, rurality, and health, a forgotten or marginalized topic in academia and practice in Ethiopia. He hopes the knowledge, skill, and attitude attained from this training will equip him with multiple skillsets as a researcher, educator, and community development activist. The University of Gondar will benefit from the experience and exposure in creating a center of excellence in rehabilitation and disability research and affecting policy and systems change towards the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Dawit Deres Sheferaw was working as a lecturer at the University of Gondar and a structural designer at the Engineering service at the University of Gondar. A current Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Fellow was a big inspiration to Dawit to be part of the program. Dawit hopes at the end of his studies; he will be the change he wants to see in the field of engineering and its approach in solving problems related to people with disabilities. The collaboration between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University is a really good experience. It helps in sharing experiences and enhances a better platform for knowledge.

Dawit is working on a practical application of engineering assistive devices that can potentially solve social, economic, and other aspects of people with disabilities’ lives. After his studies, Dawit is planning to engage in research tasks aimed at provision of better living for people with disabilities and experiences in general.

Melkitu Fentie Melak completed her Bachelors’ degree in Public Health in 2013 and her Masters’ Degree in Human Nutrition in 2015, both at the University of Gondar. After the completion of Melkitu’s first degree, she joined the University of Gondar, department of Public Health, as academic staff and worked in this position for two years. Melkitu then transferred to the Department of Human Nutrition after completing her Masters’. Melkitu’s roles were teaching, conducting research and providing community service.

Melkitu has a passion for building her capacity and upgrading her career profile by pursuing a PhD in a high-rated University such as Queen’s. The Mastercard Foundation scholarship opened the door to making her dreams a reality. Melkitu’s expectations for her studies at Queen’s University are:

· Develop a broad critical understanding of issues in Rehabilitation Science

· Demonstrate scholarly written and oral communication skills with respect to Rehabilitation Science research and its application

· Develop and apply skills in conducting research, including creating research proposal; collecting, managing and analyzing research data; synthesizing findings; and implementing knowledge translation

· Create new knowledge to contribute to the field of Rehabilitation Science

The collaboration between UoG and Queen’s is laying the foundation in faculty development, disability awareness and inclusion at the University of Gondar. It is a well-organized collaboration, which fulfills every aspect of Melkitu’s needs. She wishes the collaboration will be sustained and others can get this valuable chance to build their capacity and career goals.

The possible implication of Melkitu’s research is to create new knowledge about the quality of life of caregivers of children with Cerebral Palsy. This will help policymakers design and implement a rehabilitation intervention focused on both the caregiver and the child’s needs.

Meseret Hassen Ayele’s first and second degree is in Special Needs Education from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. She has engaged in teaching, research, community service and leadership positions at the University of Gondar. Meseret has been teaching different courses and advising undergraduate and postgraduate students. She has served the University as a Dean of College of Education for four years. Regarding research, Meseret has conducted studies in areas related to disability, inclusive education, and gender-based violence against girls with disabilities, folklore and education. Meseret has published a book as a principal investigator based on an original research finding on pedagogical and development relevance of riddles for children in lower grades. She had a wonderful experience teaching in primary school prior to University.

As a Mastercard Foundation scholar, Meseret aspires to enhance her quality of teaching, mentoring and advising postgraduate students. She is also always interested in engaging with scholastic inquiries to advance knowledge and research techniques in her area of specialization from different perspectives. Indeed, Queen’s is one of the research-intensive universities, which can offer her important international experience; help her fulfill her desire of having advanced research techniques and excellent pedagogical training alongside a PhD degree.

The academic partnership between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University will have long-lasting mutual benefits. The University of Gondar, as a research University, has benefited in fulfilling its plan to have more PhD holders that contribute to curriculum development in postgraduate Programs and advanced problem-solving research. Queen’s University would benefit from international students bringing their unique perspectives and worldviews in education and research inquiries.

The ultimate goal of the Mastercard Foundation scholarship program is to improve the institutional capacity and strengthen the capacity of faculty members at the University of Gondar (UoG) to support inclusive education and community inclusion for young people with disabilities in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, individuals with a disability are disadvantaged in school. More than 89% of school-age children with disability are out of school, and those who are in school are more likely to have low school experience and are highly likely to drop out and repeat school. Meseret’s PhD research will focus on inclusive education for individuals with disabilities from societal perspectives. It will study societal beliefs towards disability using folklore as unique epistemology and its influence on inclusive education of individuals with disabilities, including access and quality of school experience. Upon completing her PhD study at Queen’s University, Meseret will return to her university/homeland to apply her research findings in disability, inclusive education, philosophical and methodological skills in research, and advanced theoretical and practical professional skills in education.

Sileshi Ayhualem Wubu completed his undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy at the University of Gondar in July 2015 and a Masters of Human Anatomy from the same university in March 2018. Sileshi is a faculty member at the University of Gondar. Between 2016 and 2021, he worked at the Department of Anatomy at the University of Gondar as an assistant lecturer and lecturer. Sileshi’s research area focuses on musculoskeletal pain management, low back pain beliefs, imaging for low back and neck pain, health care service for low back pain.

Sileshi strongly believes that the collaboration brings a great chance for University of Gondar scholars to get in touch with Canadian culture, the educational system and learn about strategies for best practices in health care and education that can be implemented in Ethiopia. On the other hand, the program will also help Queen’s University, as many talented scholars will share their experience and knowledge that they gained at the University of Gondar with the Queen’s University community and with the country at large. Moreover, Sileshi can see that the collaboration will strengthen the relationship between Ethiopia and Canada.

Sileshi’s ultimate goal after completion of his program is to develop evidence-based care for low back pain in Ethiopia to prevent the expected increase in the burden of disability related to low back pain in the coming decades.

Before joining Queen’s University as a Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Ph.D. Fellow, Adera worked as a History lecturer at the Department of History and Heritage Management, University of Gondar. He obtained his B.Ed. in History from Bahir Dar University and MA in History from Addis Ababa University.

Adera was motivated to be a part of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program because of its invested interest in helping and rehabilitating persons with disabilities. In addition, the institutional and educational quality of Queen’s University gravitated him toward choosing this scholarship opportunity. Adera aspires to be an eminent professor of Ethiopian History; he expects to be well equipped with the skill and knowledge sets that an aspiring historian needs to have from the world-class educational systems of the university and, in particular, the Department of History. 

Adera believes the collaboration between the two universities encourages and sets a new tradition in Ethiopian higher learning institutions. The different research projects they carry out together and the recent move to open the Occupational Therapy program in Ethiopia at UoG is a testament to the level of quality relationship the two universities via Mastercard Foundation have built. He believes that the meaningful relationship between the two universities will be sustainable when both the OT and Ph.D. Fellows return to Ethiopia and serve their parent university.

Adera’s stay at Queen’s helps him reorient his educational mind that his teaching/ learning activities, planning/ execution, and evaluation need to be inclusive and respectful of the diversified needs of students and teachers. Especially his classroom experiences and relationships with the professors have taught Adera how to rethink his future working environment as a teacher. This is definitely in line with the core values of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. In terms of Adera’s research, as an aspiring historian, he wants to firmly locate the history of persons with disabilities and their contribution to Ethiopian history and Ethiopian Historiography. This is one way of ensuring persons with disabilities are represented in the broader arenas of the country.

Aleminew Abebe Mekonen received a BA degree in Anthropology in July 2009 from the University of Gondar (UoG) and an MSW degree in Social Work (Community and Social Development Stream) in July 2016 from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Aleminew worked as a lecturer, researcher, and student adviser in the social work department at UoG, Ethiopia. He was also the chairperson of the Social Work department for two and a half years (July 2017-February 2020). Aleminew is now completing his Ph.D. in the Rehabilitation Science program at Queen’s University.

Aleminew joined the Ph.D. program under the supervision of Dr. Heather Aldersey. His dissertation area is related to people with disabilities, focusing on the social participation and social networks of people with disabilities. Aleminew was motivated to be part of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program because it relates to his educational background, social work, and the major target populations for social work intervention (people with disabilities). The second reason is the high quality of education, which will aid in his future research on complex social issues.

Aleminew believes the collaboration between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University is focused on training human resources from various disciplines and working on knowledge translations to benefit vulnerable people with disabilities. The Ethiopian government is now working on inclusive education for students with disabilities, but their school participation remains low compared to their non-disabled peers. As a result, Aleminew’s research will provide new insights into the problem from the perspective of students with disabilities. Thus, his research finding will give insight for interventions.

Asmamaw Adugna Mersha is a doctoral student in Rehabilitation Science, a Mastercard Foundation Fellow, and a faculty member at the University of Gondar in Ethiopia. Asmamaw has a BSc in Public Health and MPH in Public Health (Health Promotion and Communication) in 2014 and 2019, respectively, from the University of Gondar. He was certified in a one-year higher diploma program (HDP) in 2020. He has over five years of experience in Ethiopia’s health care and academic institutions. Asmamaw engaged in patient care, leadership, teaching, advising, research and community service. During his academic career, Asmamaw published more than ten peer-reviewed articles, two abstracts, and title booklets before joining his Ph.D. study at Queen’s University in 2022.

With a great passion for promoting healthy living, Asmamaw is interested in working on stroke and related disabilities. By being a part of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and a student at Queen’s University, Asmamaw wishes to expand his knowledge of health promotion and rehabilitation science. He wants to turn his focus toward their wide-scale applications in Ethiopia and Africa as a researcher, instructor, and community service provider. The prospect of participating in this program is an excellent way to gain up-to-date, relevant Rehabilitation Science knowledge.

Asmamaw strongly believes that the collaboration between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University brings a great chance for the University of Gondar scholars to get in touch with Canadian culture, the educational system and learn about strategies for best practices in health care and education that can be transferred in Ethiopia. On the other hand, the program will also help Queen’s University, as many talented scholars will share their experience and knowledge that they gained at the University of Gondar with the Queen’s University community and with the country at large. Moreover, Asmamaw underlined the collaboration would strengthen the bilateral relationship between Ethiopia and Canada.

Upon completion of his Ph.D. study in Rehabilitation Science, Asmamaw wants to develop an evidence-based care plan for stroke-related disabilities in Ethiopia to tackle the increasing burden of stroke-related disabilities. This will support rehabilitation experts, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to put their efforts together for better outcomes in stroke care.

Dessalegn Bizuneh Ayele received his Bachelor of Education and Master of Arts, both in History, from Alemaya (now Haramaya) University and Addis Ababa University in 2004 and 2010, respectively. In terms of professional experience, he has worked at Debre Markos and Gondar Colleges of Teachers Education, and from 2013- 2022 he worked at the Department of History and Heritage Management at the University of Gondar. Besides teaching, researching and conducting community service activities, he also served as a department head for two years at the University of Gondar.

What motivates Dessalegn in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is an interest in studying the History of the disability-related scenario in Ethiopia in the twentieth century, which he believes, aligns with one of the organization’s goals of informing decisions based on rational evidence generated from the yesteryears. He expects interdisciplinary training in class and outside of Queen’s.

Dessalegn thinks the collaboration between these two universities, the University of Gondar and Queen’s University, has so far been fruitful in not only training batches of graduate and undergraduate students but also working practically in areas that positively affect the lives of millions of people with disabilities in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa in general. He hopes the collaboration will continue to address some pressing problems that people with disabilities are grappling with.

Dessalegn thinks his research is critically important in the areas of inclusive and quality education by demonstrating the many ups and downs that people with disabilities have gone through in their social, political and economic lives in Ethiopia in the last century. And how that has affected their access to education and other services, the nature of the legal and institutional infrastructure that prevailed vis-a-vis the disability sector, and what better practices (if any) we can learn from it for the better present and the future.

When Dessalegn returns to his home university after completing his studies here at Queen’s, he will bring skills and knowledge that can benefit society at large. He hopes to commit to promoting the rights and privileges of people with disabilities.

Getachew Gebeyaw Tadese is a Ph.D. student in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s University, a Mastercard Foundation Fellow, and a faculty member in the Department of Social Work at the University of Gondar in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, he received a Bachelor in Sociology and a Master’s degree in Social Work. Getachew has worked as a volunteer and employee in many Ethiopian organizations. He is especially interested in disability inclusion efforts and vulnerable communities in general. Getachew’s disability advocacy began as a first-year university student. He served as the head of disability associations at the university and was involved in numerous disability inclusion initiatives.

Furthermore, through the academy, he worked at the Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD) and engaged in accessibility audits and employment inclusion projects. Getachew also worked for almost two years as the director of disability studies and services at the University of Gondar. As a director, he was involved in community outreach and research to empower students with disabilities at the university and the disability community at large. Getachew also worked for over two years as a mentor to persons with disabilities in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars program.

Getachew contends that people with disabilities face significant challenges in Ethiopia due to social, economic, and structural factors. The deep-rooted challenges of people with disabilities would be lessened through coordinated advocacy, which he plans to engage in to alter policy and stigma-related barriers. As a result, the objective and vision of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars program are critical in addressing the issues faced by people with disabilities via education. Getachew is interested in strengthening disability organizations to advocate for people with disabilities’ rights and participation in all development agendas. He has always been enthusiastic about establishing networks for future collaboration and cooperative projects in education, research, and community service. He aspires to be an effective and important educator and public leader in his community and country and to work with underprivileged people, particularly people with disabilities, in various ways. Getachew’s aspirations will come true due to his education, skills, and international networks through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars program. Getachew’s expectations for the Ph.D. journey at Queens University include networking with professionals from around the world, working on research that will be carried out in Ethiopia or Africa, and collaborating on publications with students and instructors. Finally, Getachew is grateful to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars program, the University of Gondar, and Queens University for providing him with such a long-term opportunity. He is interested in their enthusiastic cooperation, empowerment, and support throughout the Ph.D., allowing him to collaborate with them on future disability inclusion projects.

The partnership between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University is the first-ever large-scale project focused on empowering persons with disabilities. This project will alter the narratives about people with disabilities in Ethiopia and enable people with disabilities to advocate for their rights in the country. The Ph.D. program is highly beneficial since it allows academics to use their skills, knowledge, and international experience to change negative attitudes about people with disabilities worldwide.

As a result of the program’s objective to empower people with disabilities in Ethiopia, Getachew plans to pursue research, community engagement, and education in the field of people with disabilities after completing his Ph.D. Getachew’s research would help to shift attitudes toward persons with disabilities, provide equal service delivery, and mainstream disabilities in projects and development agendas. All efforts would be made in collaboration with organizations and individuals interested in the inclusion of people with disabilities in the country. In addition, attitude change and disability mainstreaming in governmental and non-governmental organizations would contribute to narrowing the country’s inclusive education gap. Therefore, after receiving his Ph.D. at Queens University, Getachew will return to Ethiopia with knowledge, skills, and experiences relating to people with disabilities that will be used in the country to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities.

Mustofa Worku Jemal is a doctoral student in Health Quality at Queen’s University, a Mastercard Foundation Fellow, and a faculty at the University of Gondar. He has more than 15 years of experience in academia. He received his Master’s degree in Journalism and Communication from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. He has ample experience in teaching, research, and community service, as well as extensive leadership experience working as the head of departments and as a director for public and international relations at the University of Gondar. Before joining the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, he was working on a collaborative research project with his current supervisor, a Queen’s Health Quality faculty member, and an inspiration for him to join the program. Mustofa has worked closely with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Gondar in designing and producing bulletins as a translator and language editor.

Mustofa’s interest in disability issues grew because working closely with the scholars’ program and working in collaborative research has created an opportunity for him to learn more about the different programs at Queen’s University and motivated him to be a Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Fellow. He expects from his studies at Queen’s to be a skilled researcher by being exposed to different methodologies and endeavours.

The collaboration between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University has granted opportunities for many people to attend quality education and pursue academic endeavours, primarily targeting people with disabilities and the economically disadvantaged. It contributes to the diversity of people from Ethiopia and Canada, learning about each other’s culture, creating networks, and sharing the knowledge gained.    

Mustofa’s research will focus on identifying factors that impact people with disabilities’ access, use, and understanding of translated knowledge. This will contribute to including people with disabilities in healthcare and implementing evidence-based practice. Knowledge translation is an emerging discipline in Ethiopia, and Mustofa’s research will contribute to how it can be inclusive and accessible. In the future, with the knowledge and experience he has gained in his doctoral studies, Mustofa would like to work on healthcare service quality through research and evidence-based implementation.

Meselech completed her undergraduate degree in Public Health from Hawassa University and her postgraduate degree (MSc) in Human Anatomy at the University of Gondar. She has taught Gross Anatomy, Embryology, and Histology courses at the University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Science, School of Medicine, and Department of Human Anatomy. She has researched congenital anomalies, particularly neural tube defects, the most common congenital anomaly that causes disability in children, and other anatomical variations. Meselech has supervised postgraduate human anatomy (MSc) students on their thesis projects. She is currently a Ph.D. student at Queen’s University in the Department of Public Health Sciences and a Mastercard Foundation Fellow.

Meselech had the desire to attend graduate school in the field of Public Health and wanted to focus on human development and associated abnormality, particularly brain development and disorders related to it. Most disorders which affect the brain, such as autism and neural tube defects, cause major physical and mental disabilities in children and some adults. When she first heard about the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program opportunity in collaboration with the University of Gondar and Queen’s University, she felt it was a suitable program for her dream Ph.D. dissertation. This is not without reasons. Firstly, it focuses on disability; fortunately, her research areas relate directly to diseases associated with disabilities and people affected by them. Secondly, being a scholar of the Mastercard Foundation enables her to conduct her dissertation in her own country and a community she is familiar with, in addition to planning long-term projects in her home university. Meselech believes that the collaboration between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University created an excellent opportunity to share experiences and learn about disability inclusion.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) cause significant mental and physical disabilities worldwide. Children affected by these disorders and their parents face discrimination, and the challenges associated with them are severe in developing countries such as Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, developmental disorders such as ASD are generally attributed to an evil spirit. Children are deprived of their fundamental rights. Parents of children with autism are driven to believe that the situation of their children is due to a curse and their past sins. Meselech believes that academic institutions and academicians are responsible for tackling these people’s problems. She wants to work on projects that focus on the inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorders in collaboration with the University of Gondar after completing her Ph.D. Thus, the international experience at Queen’s University will help her achieve these goals.

With a background in Journalism and Communication, Rahwa has worked at the University of Gondar as an instructor and researcher for more than 14 years. During her 14-year endeavour, she has worked in different administrative positions at the university, participated in various committees and delivered community services to the community. She has a great interest in research areas related to empowering vulnerable people.

Rahwa learned about the Mastercard Foundation when she first participated in the “International Collaboration for Strengthening Rehabilitation Education in Ethiopia (STREET)” project years ago, which taught her about people with disabilities and rehabilitation. Studying a career related to marginalized groups, such as people with disabilities, is emotionally fulfilling and personally meaningful. Rahwa has been participating in different research and voluntary works pertaining to marginalized groups. When the opportunity arose to be part of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program that promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities, she gladly joined. Rahwa is very interested in her Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science at Queen’s University, as its research areas match her interest. Rahwa believes its international and interdisciplinary outlook will make her a more skilled professional.

The goal of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program University of Gondar and Queen’s University collaboration is to enhance the teaching and research skills of faculty and students from the University of Gondar. Together, they work on accessibility measures that promote inclusive education for students with disabilities, student success and barrier-free learning for all students at the University of Gondar.

Rahwa is very interested in studying the discipline of rehabilitation in relation to media because there has been a negative stigma associated with people with disabilities. It is to a society’s advantage to find ways by which the voices of the discriminated and marginalized, such as people with disabilities, are voiced via variegated tools and levels of facilitation. It is in this light that media comes into the equation. A redirection of media focus towards the hope of recovery from treatment programs and rehabilitation could dramatically alter the public perception of rehab. After completing her Ph.D., Rahwa plans to serve her profession to the department, the university and the community at large. And perform different works in the area of media related to people with disabilities and rehabilitation, which can contribute to the knowledge of the community, bring up societal change and promote inclusion.

Solomon graduated with a physiotherapy bachelor’s degree in 2008 and a master’s degree in 2012, both from the University of Gondar in Ethiopia. He held a variety of leadership positions, including those of physiotherapy department head and coordinator of a community-based rehabilitation program. Most recently, Solomon co-managed the Mastercard Foundation Scholars collaborative program between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University (Canada). He also contributed to developing educational initiatives for physiotherapists and community-based rehabilitation specialists in Ethiopia, taught physiotherapy courses at the University of Gondar, and participated in observational research projects there.

Solomon is passionate about treating musculoskeletal disorders and the positive effects physical activity and exercise can have on patient well-being. He feels there is a substantial body of knowledge about musculoskeletal disorders that is not applied to Ethiopian circumstances and is driven by emerging evidence supported by well-known clinical guidelines. His other interests lie in understanding the healthcare system, educating healthcare workers, and raising public awareness of musculoskeletal disorders and their effective management. In his opinion, Ethiopia’s current healthcare system should be improved by switching from a traditional, provider-led approach to a collaborative, client-centred approach, especially in rehabilitation services. He thinks the scholar program offers him the chance to hone his analytical and critical thinking skills as well as his research skills in the field of rehabilitation sciences, enabling him to become a qualified candidate who will support Ethiopia’s modernization of services and strengthen rehabilitation education.

Solomon firmly believes that the collaboration between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University stopped Ethiopia’s rehabilitation education advancement, which had just begun, from collapsing. In addition to opening up a significant window of opportunity for Ethiopia’s rehabilitation services and educational advancement, the partnership allowed a select group of highly motivated professionals to continue their pursuit of advanced degrees. It also matched the goals of the University of Gondar, which wants to be a center of excellence for rehabilitation, disability, and inclusive education.

Solomon wants to establish a new research culture, especially in the physiotherapy department, which up until now had a strong epidemiological research emphasis. His goal is to change how healthcare providers practice, how the healthcare system is viewed, and how providers are educated so that they are guided by evidence-based, knowledge translation, and implementation research. As a result, strong rehabilitation education and practice can be developed to ensure the health and well-being of Ethiopian patients and people with disabilities.  

 Tadele is a doctoral student in Civil Engineering, A Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Fellow, and a Faculty Member at the University of Gondar in Ethiopia; He received his BSc in Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Gondar in Ethiopia in 2016 and MSc in Civil/ Architectural Engineering at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia in 2019. Before his studies with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Tadele was a lecturer at the University of Gondar for six years. He also worked as a graduate architect, building/architectural engineer, shelter associate in ANRS road, building design, supervision work enterprise, the University of Gondar engineering service office, and the Ethiopian Red Cross society North Gondar Branch. Tadele has also volunteered in the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, participated in multiple community service, architectural design, urban planning, and construction projects administered by the University of Gondar, and engaged in design and construction consultant work for private organizations.

After achieving practical research and professional experience, Tadele wanted to pursue his Ph.D. in a school with a strong international reputation and innovative approaches to multidisciplinary research. In his previous work experience, he worked on spatial inclusion and disability-related architectural issues; being part of this scholarship will allow Tadele to enhance his knowledge, skills and practice on issues related to inclusion and accessibility. He believes that the opportunity of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Queen’s University made his dream come true. Tadele has found Queen’s University home to outstanding faculties and premier researchers.

Tadele believes that the foundation that has been paved aiming for inclusive and quality education through the collaboration between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University will provide the opportunity for both institutes to play a significant role in advancing the state-of-the-art research, which could contribute to disabilities study and inclusion with unique perspectives. In particular, he believes this collaboration will benefit the University of Gondar in capacity building and curriculum development, considering the disabilities studies and inclusion to attain quality education.

Tadele’s research focuses on fire evacuation performance to examine and advance the fire safety considerations and evacuation performance of hospital buildings for people with disabilities in Ethiopia. He firmly believes that his research output will positively impact disability as it focuses on the issue of inclusion and accessibility in a fire evacuation, one of the major concerns of people with different types of disabilities worldwide. His research will help to improve the fire safety considerations in the built environment for people with disabilities in resource-limited countries, particularly in Ethiopia. Afterwards, he plans to return to Ethiopia and share his knowledge and experience to implement the knowledge gained and contribute to inclusive building design and urban development through engaging in in-built environment research and engineering practice that can influence policies in general 

Tesfaye graduated from Hawassa University with a BA in Psychology and from the University of Gondar with an MSC in Clinical Psychology. He taught various psychology courses and participated in large-scale research and community service initiatives at the University of Gondar for over seven years. In addition, Tesfaye volunteered for several mental health initiatives, most of which focused on internal displacement and trauma intervention.As a candidate for the program, he hopes to learn about different research methods and gain experiences that will help him develop a culturally-tailored way for people with mental health problems to participate in community-based rehabilitation programs and change their lives. 

The partnership between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University provides enormous opportunities for both universities’ faculties to succeed in research and student exchange programs. As an ancient, culturally diverse country, Ethiopia will give indigenous knowledge to the outside world, and Queen’s University faculties will gain from investigating these opportunities.

Rehabilitation science seeks to return people with temporary or permanent disabilities to optimum function, well-being, and individually fulfilling levels of independence through treatment and education. As a Ph.D. student in rehabilitation science, Tesfaye is hopeful that he will be equipped with the research, development, and implementation of rehabilitation programs in the area of mental health. He expects to take a vast amount of knowledge and research experience that will allow him to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people with mental illnesses by working on the inclusion of this population in community-based rehabilitation initiatives and developing culturally sensitive service delivery approaches.

Wondimnew earned his LL.B degree from Bahir Dar University in 2009. He worked as an assistant lecturer at the School of Law, University of Gondar, until 2014. He completed his LL.M. from Addis Ababa University in April 2014. Since then, Wondimnew has worked as a lecturer except between October 2014 and April 2016, where he was on a study leave to pursue his MSc from UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education in Delft, the Netherlands. In addition to teaching courses, he rendered free legal aid services to indigent persons under the auspices of the Legal Aid Centre of the School of Law. The clients were predominantly women, children, the elderly and persons with disabilities. Moreover, he led research projects financed by the University of Gondar or external sources.

Graduate studies in Wondimnew’s field of study are rarely available in Ethiopia, institutions abroad are expensive and financial supports are highly competitive. In the face of these realities, he learned about the golden opportunity of the tripartite collaborative project of the University of Gondar, Queen’s University, and the Mastercard Foundation. He sincerely hopes to become a welch-equipped researcher in his field of study. Wondimnew believes the collaboration between the University of Gondar and Queen’s University is a typical example of a meaningful North-South collaborative capacity-building endeavour. It teaches beginners (at the University of Gondar) and middle-level Occupational Therapy experts and trains high-level researchers who would influence policy in disability accommodation and inclusion in Ethiopia/Africa and beyond. That, in short, is a commendable holistic approach.

Quality of education has been one of the challenges in higher education in Ethiopia. In contrast, Queen’s University is one of the top-ranked universities in Canada and the world. Thus, Wondimnew’s stay at Queen’s will not only consist of academic exercises required for his graduation but understanding the quality assurance mechanisms employed and identifying what can be adapted for the University of Gondar. Moreover, the extent of inclusion of persons with disabilities here at Queen’s made him realize that Ethiopia has a long way to go. Yet, putting concerted efforts towards fixing the public attitude with respect to disability, he thinks it is possible to make the University of Gondar a prototype institution for others in Ethiopia and broader Africa can learn a lot. Curricular accessibility and accessibility of physical infrastructure can be improved progressively, although limited the financial capacity at disposal might be.