Advisory Committee

Ms. Øderud has has 30 years of experience from contract research and managing national and international R&D projects in the domain of assistive technology (AT), provision of AT, disability studies, user involvement and impact assessment. Experience from development of AT services and AT in collaboration with persons with disabilities, disabled people's organisations (DPOs), governmental organisations, non-governmental organisations(NGOs) and private businesses in Namibia, Norway, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Ms Tigere has worked for a number of humanitarian and development organisations including national and international NGOs such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Since 2015, she has served Christian Blind Mission (CBM) as Senior Programme Manager and currently she is the Country Representative for CBM in Zimbabwe. Deborah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and an MBA with the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI). Deborah has accumulated a vast knowledge and expertise by being involved and leading a rich variety of development and disability programmes. This includes programmes and projects funded by USAID, BMZ, CERF, EU and others in close partnership with a wide spectrum of Zimbabwean NGO’s and International organisations.

Mr. Likando has 16 years of experience working for the Ministry of Health and Social Services with the Orthopaedic Department. The Orthopaedic department mainly provide prosthetics and orthotics assistive technology devices and services to all persons in need of such services especially Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Namibia.

He holds a Master’s Degree of Biomedical Engineering from the University of New South Wales (UNSW Australia, 2014), a Bachelor of Science Degree in Prosthetics and Orthotics from Tumaini University (Tanzania, 2008) and a Diploma in Orthopaedic Technology from the University of Dar ‘es Salaam (Tanzania, 2002), and several certificates in leadership andprofessional short courses obtained from various institutions and firms.

He has served the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) in various Clinical and Administrative roles. While working for MoHSS, Mr. Likando has tirelessly contributed to the development and revision of several policies, guidelines and other professional documents,researches and projects related to prosthetics and orthotics, physical rehabilitation and health services in general.

Mr. Likando also serves as a member of the Allied Health Professions Council of Namibiaand is also amember of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics where he is registered as a category I prosthetics and orthotics professional. He continues to search for additional knowledge and skills, and is currently working on a research proposal for a PhD in Health Sciences Rehabilitation under the University of Stellenbosch (RSA).

Mrs. Kumire has 12 years of experience as an Occupational Therapist for individuals with physical ailments. Sherecently completed her Master’s In Public Health (MPH) with UNISA and is a DARE consult certified advanced wheelchair seating practitioner with a broad experience for provision of appropriate wheelchairs to PWDs across all age groups in Southern Africa. Her strong passion and enthusiasm for assistive technology grew while working for Shonaquip Pvt Ltd from 2011 to 2014. She was actively involved in training of health professional on WHO Basic Guidelines on Wheelchair Provision in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.Currently practices as an OT for Ministry of Health & Social services Namibia.

Mr. Katsiga is an award winning leader who founded Deaftronics, an organization which produces high quality low cost solar powered hearing aids made by people who are hearing impaired for people with a hearing loss. He is part of a team which developed the first rechargeable hearing aid battery, which lasts for 2-3 years and can be used in 80% of hearing aids on the market today. He trains hearing impaired people in Electronics Assembly.

He holds a Higher National Diploma in Electronics from Harare Polytechnic. Attended Microniks Technical College in Canada and became a PACE Certified Instructor/Examiner. He has been featured in the Newsweek magazine, National Geographic, BBC articles, Wired a high Tech Magazine, Daily Edventures Post, I am Youngpreneur, The Heretic, and Smart Planet. Recipient of a South African Designers Awards (DISA) and National Design for Development Award (NDDA).Worked in Zimbabwe, Canada, Brazil, Jordan ,South Africa and Botswana. He is a recipient of Potential for Societal Impact Award in the 2015 GIST Tech-I Competition.

Among other things, Tendekayi sits on the board of a US based international inspiration children’s magazine called Visual Aid. In his free time he brings awareness on HIV/AIDS in hearing impaired communities. Recently he obtained a Diploma in Social Entrepreneurship from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden.

Mr. Chiwaula is an ex-officio member of the SAATE Advisory Committee who leads and represents the Secretariat team at Southern Africa Federation of the Disabled (SAFOD)by virtue of his current position since February 2014. He is the Director General of SAFOD currently based in at its Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana.

A Malawian by nationality, he is a renowned disability activist who was among the founders of the Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (FEDOMA) where he used to work as Executive Director for 14 years until January 2014. During his years of disability activism in Malawi, he was appointed by President Hastings Kamuzu Banda to serve on the board of the Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA); he represented the disability sector at the First Constitutional Review Conference during Malawi's transition from a one party to a multiparty system of government; and he participated in the development of Malawi's Vision 2020.

He was also appointed to chair the taskforce that spearheaded the development of the National Policy on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in Malawi, and he was in the forefront in successfully lobbying and advocating for the enactment of the Disability Act.