General Information
The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation exists to address the
high levels of vacancies of professional health care staff at rural hospitals
as well as address the issue of retention of such staff.
The Scheme identifies local youth, who have an interest and ability in
becoming health care professionals, and pays for them to study at
University whilst providing mentoring support to them. In return the
recipients are required to work back at a rural hospital for the equivalent
number of years they were funded.
Currently Umthombo works with 5 of the hospitals in the Umkhanyakude
district and 4 hospitals in other rural districts.
The Scheme works closely with the hospital management and the hospital
working group in order to: 1) Market the Scheme (presentations to
schools; Open days at the hospital); 2) Identify and Select students; 3)
Mentor students at University 4) Organise holiday work and mentoring
support for students at the hospital; 5) Appointment of graduates 6)
Workplace mentoring of graduates and identification of further training
needs.
Umthombo started in 1999 at Mosvold hospital, known then as the FOM
Scholarship Scheme, with the support of 4 local students. Currently there
are 90 graduates in various health science disciplines and this year we are
supporting 152 students (see tables below). The majority of graduates are
currently working at one of the 9 hospitals we are partnering with or are
busy with their internship at a training hospital (see Pie chart below).
To qualify for assistance, youth need to:
1. come from a rural area (one of the districts where we are working)
2. be financially needy
3. be accepted at a University to study a heath science
degree/diploma
4. show interest by having done Voluntary work at a local hospital
5. Be selected by a local Selection Committee
6. be willing to work back, year for year, at one of the hospitals we
are working with
Key Success Factors
 Investing in rural youth who are committed
 Choosing the correct course through volunteer work
 Mentoring support at University – both academic and personal – to
ensure students have every opportunity to succeed
 Doing holiday work – builds relationship with hospital staff &
assists in practical exposure
 Financial burden lifted from students who can concentrate on their
studies
Outcomes
 Rural youth being afforded the opportunity to become health care
workers
 Rural youth succeeding ( above 80% plus pass rate) – 90 graduates
currently produced
 Graduates are role models to rural youth helping them to start
dreaming about what seems impossible
 Sustainable in that the graduates are local and involved in
mentoring students and in fundraising
 Graduates are well rounded and the potential future leaders in the
healthcare sector
 People are being trained in professions which should allow them to
be employed for life
 Scheme does not only focus on training Doctors, but all health care
professionals, thus addressing healthcare provision holistically
The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation exists to help provide high quality health services to rural communities in South Africa, by the identification, training and support of
rural students who have the potential to become rural health
Future
Short term (12-18 months) 2008/09: √ completed
 consolidate the Scheme among the 5 hospitals in the
Umkhanyakude district by getting greater management support at
Manguzi, Mseleni and Bethesda hospitals to give more rural youth
the opportunity to become health care professionals
 Capture the critical components of the Scheme in preparation for
spread to new hospitals
Medium term (18-24 months) 2009/10
 Canvas new hospitals that are interested and spread the Scheme in
one to two hospitals in Kwa Zulu Natal – spread to 3 hospitals
 Learn the lessons in spreading out of the Umkhanyakude district
and capture these
√ completed
Long Term 2011/12 →
 Spread more widely within Kwa Zulu Natal
 Spread to other Provinces that are interested
Contact details:
Dr Gavin MacGregor;
Director: Umthombo Youth Development Foundation
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 031 765 5774
Fax: 031 765 6014
Postal Address: Postnet Suite 10328; Private Bag X7005; Hillcrest; 3650
From Construction Site to Consulting Room
Dr Patrick Ngwenya, was born and raised by his
mother in the rural area of Manguzi. Patrick did his
schooling locally at the Mfihlewni primary school and
Shayina High School. Shayina High School had
approximately 1 500 learners and 3 classes per grade
resulting in 100 pupils per class! The school had only
6-8 qualified teachers– the other teachers only passed
Grade 12. Not all subjects such as Mathematics and
Physical Science had specialized teachers, which ultimately impacted on his
Matric results. In Grade 10 Patrick was dreaming of becoming an engineer.
In 1997, after completing school with poor results, and no money to register at
University, Patrick’s neighbour, who was an unqualified bricklayer, offered him
work. Earning R15 ($2) a day, Patrick managed to take home R450 ($45) per
month. He used some money to apply for piped water to their family home,
because they were fetching water from a brook, 1hour’s walk from home.
One day, working on the building site Patrick contemplated his life and realized
that there must be more to his life than this. He knew he had more potential than
what he was using and decided to enroll at the University of Zululand. Due to
his poor Matric results, his options were limited and he was grateful to be
accepted to study a B Sc Biological Science. Patrick obtained 7 distinctions
from 1st to 3rd year, and was awarded a certificate for Best performing student.
Patrick shares that studying towards his B Sc was hard, not only academically
but financially as well. In order to get registered he borrowed R2 000 from a
church friend and used the little that he had saved to pay rent for a few months.
He applied for a state assisted student loan (NSFAS) which he thankfully
received. Due to his excellent academic performance he became a Tutor and
also worked part time in the Department of Zoology sorting research samples –
these two jobs gave him an income which enabled him to survive. Most of the
work in the Zoology laboratory was done during holidays – and so he only had
2 weeks at home a year.
Having completed his B Sc, Patrick was inspired to study medicine and applied
to the University of Kwa Zulu Natal, and due to his good results was accepted
and started in 2003. In 2007, he completed his training and started his
internship at Prince Mshiyeni hospital in Durban. He shares that his experience
working as a Doctor has been wonderful, especially pediatrics and
enthusiastically admits he would consider specializing in it. Watching Dr
Patrick Ngwenya at work, it is clearly evident that he loves being a doctor as
can be seen by his broad smile, an inner peace, and the obvious love he has for
his patients. After completing his internship, Patrick has taken up a Medical
Officer’s post at Hlabisa Hospital to honour his work back agreement.
Patrick was one of the precious diamonds uncovered by the Umthombo Youth
Development Foundation – there are many more – some are in the process of
being discovered, others are being refined whilst others still need to be found –
this is the motivation for the Umthombo Youth Development Foundation!
The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation exists to help provide high quality health services to rural communities in South Africa, by the identification, training and support of
rural students who have the potential to become rural health