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GIDION KAINO MANDESI Executive Director, Disabled Organization for Legal Affairs and Social Economic Development (DOLASED) Program: Claude Ake Memorial Awards Program Degree: Non-Degree, Independent Research Year Completed: 2003

Program: Advanced Training for Leadership and Skills (ATLAS)
Degree: Masters of Laws (L.L.M.)
Year Completed: 1999

Mr. Gidion Kaino Mandesi has worked for nearly two decades, championing the rights of people with disabilities at national, regional and international levels. He founded the Disabled Organization for Legal Affairs and Social Economic Development (DOLASED) in Tanzania in 1994 and currently serves as the organization's Executive Director. Mr. Mandesi, who is blind himself, attended the University of Dar es Salaam, earning a bachelor of laws (L.L.B.) degree with honors in 1995. Then under the AAI-administered Advanced Training for Leadership and Skills (ATLAS) program, he received a scholarship to attend American University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a master of laws (L.L.M.) degree in international legal studies in 1999.

Mr. Mandesi was awarded the 2007 Distinguished Alumnus Award at AAI's 23rd Annual Awards Gala in New York in September.

Read Gidion Mandesi's complete bio >>

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Read More about AAI's Tanzanian Alumni:

	Dr. Faustin Kamuzora Associate Professor & Deputy Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance, Mzumbe University Partners for International Education and Training (PIET), '96
	Margaret Munyagi Chief Executive Officer Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) Partners for International Education and Training (PIET), '91
	Grace Rubambey Independent Consultant and Microfinance Expert African Scholarship Program of the American Universities (ASPAU) '67
	Professor William Rugumamu Professor, Department of Geography University of Dar es Salaam Partners for International Education and Training (PIET), '94