The award-winning Umthombo Youth Development Foundation in Hillcrest, South Africa, identifies, trains and supports rural youth to become qualified health care professionals in order to address the human resource shortages at rural hospitals - thereby improving health care to rural communities (learn more about our program). 524 graduates have already been produced, showing that with the right type of support, rural health science students can succeed in qualifying as healthcare professionals!. Our support increases the chances of success significantly - from around 48% to over 85%. 

In 2022, we are supporting 172 rural origin health science students to succeed in their higher education journey. The provision of academic and social mentoring support to all students is the key intervention we make, in addition to topping up their National Student Financial Aid (NSFAS) food and books allowances and covering any tuition and accommodation shortfalls. We need help to cover these costs:

•  Academic & Social Mentoring Support: this support allows a student to have a monthly face-to-face meeting with a mentor who assists the student to develop a plan of action, and holds the students accountable to implement the plan, and overcome the challenges.  US$ 1,500 (R24,000)

• Top-up Student allowances: for food, books, minor equipment and to cover accommodation shortfalls. This ensures that students always have food, the necessary books or equipment needed to succeed. US$ 1,000 (R16,000)

For US$2,500 or R40,000 per student per year, you can help a student overcome the numerous challenges they face and succeed. 

What change will your support bring about:

Change an individual's future: You can open a sustainable pathway out of poverty for a young rural student from Kwa-Zulu-Natal through donating towards their support. When they qualify and go into employment, they will assist their family out of poverty.
Change the future of a rural community: we have produced 524 health science graduates covering 19 different health science disciplines - 192 who are Doctors and 55% are women! They are working at rural hospitals, thus improving the delivery of healthcare to the rural poor.
Change the future of the country: Invest in South Africa's (economic) future and create a future taxpayer. A study showed that our investment of R186 million to produce 254 graduates (in 2015) is tiny compared to the future income tax of R1,2 billion that will be paid by the 254 graduates over their lifetime.

Have you considered becoming a fundraiser on behalf of our students - click "start fundraising" on this platform and collect donations for your next birthday, family event, sporting marathon or office party. We'll be happy to provide you with further details of the impact of our work, including statistics to share with others.

Click here to learn about success stories from graduates and how former donors gave them a way out of poverty. Thank you for making a difference!