Umthombo Youth Development Foundation (UYDF)

1-About Us

The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation (UYDF) seeks to address two critical issues

1) The shortages of healthcare staff in the public sector and rural hospitals specifically

2) The high levels of youth unemployment by providing opportunities for rural youth to study health science qualifications – who on graduation address staff shortages.

Research has shown that rural-origin health science graduates are more likely to live and work in rural areas than their urban counterparts. Based on this evidence, and the belief that despite the poor social and economic circumstances of rural youth, if given the opportunity and necessary support, they can succeed in becoming healthcare professionals and will return to serve their communities when qualified. The UYDF recruits youth from the Umkhanyakude, Zululand and King Cetshwayo Districts of KwaZulu-Natal where it partners with 15 rural District Hospitals.

Our main intervention as an organisation is the provision of academic and social mentoring support to enable these rural-origin students to succeed in their higher education journey and qualify as healthcare professionals.

Services / Intervention

- We recruit rural-origin students who have an interest and ability to successfully study a health science degree and who agree on graduation to work in a rural area

- We provide top-up financial support to supplement the student’s National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bursary

- We provide academic and social mentoring support which entails every student being allocated to a mentor that they meet monthly. The mentor assists the student to identify their challenges and develop a plan of action. The mentor then holds the student accountable to implement the plan and evaluate its success.

In addition, as part of the mentoring, all students undertake 4 weeks per annum of work exposure at their local rural hospital, allowing them to complement their theory with practice, whilst being exposed to rural healthcare.

Finally, all students attend an annual Lifeskills Workshop where relevant issues are workshopped such as the soft skills needed in the workplace, financial literacy, and compiling a CV, amongst others.

- We facilitate graduate employment at the Department of Health

2-Support

Request

The provision of academic and social mentoring support and top-up financial support amounts to R 56 000 per student per year. This support ensures that our rural-origin health science students succeed as without such support, only about 65% would graduate. The breakdown of the R56 000 is provided below:

We plan to support 210 students next year and require support for 60 students. We invite companies, trusts, foundations and individuals to support a group of students.

All donations are tax-deductible, whilst companies can earn BBBEE Skills Development or SED points towards their scorecard as all beneficiaries are Black. Donors will receive mid-year and year-end reports in addition to the quarterly newsletter.

Donate as a Company

As an organisation, we have 18A Income Tax status, which means that your donation is tax-deductible (South African's only). Our financial records are audited annually and submitted to the Department of Social Welfare to maintain our non-profit status.

Donate as an individual

Donate to give rural students an education leading to employment, and a way out of poverty. Your support will enable us to support them overcome the many challenges they face and succeed! We appreciate every donation, no matter how big or small. All online donations are managed by a very capable, accredited non-profit organisation called GivenGain.

DONATE NOW

3-Success Factors

Success

To date, 595 graduates covering 19 different health science disciplines have been produced, of which 233 are Doctors, 52% are young women, and 9 doctors are highly qualified specialists.

Through the academic and social mentoring support provided, 90% of the students we support will graduate, despite matriculating at non-fee-paying rural schools. Over 90% of the 595 graduates have worked in rural areas for at least two years.

4-Contact Us

Registration

Trust:                                                  IT1856/95
Non-Profit Organisation (NPO):          010-021 NPO
Public Benefit Organisation:                          18/11/13/4296
18A tax exemption status
BBBEE- all beneficiaries are Black.                 Verification can be provided

Contact details

Director Dr Gavin MacGregor

Email:                                                                 gavin@umthomboyouth.org.za
Office:                                                                031 765 5774
Office address:                                                Bristol House, 1A Shongweni Road, Hillcrest, 3650, KwaZulu-Natal

Website:                                                            www.umthomboyouth.org.za

News

UMTHOMBO NEWSLETTER 2025

93% of students passed all their subjects, while 11 failed one subject, and were promoted (they’ll carry the subject).

Students supported by the Umthombo Youth Development Foundation achieve amazing success

The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation supported a total of 209 rural-origin health science students last year of which 194 (93%) passed all their subjects, whilst 11 failed one subject that they have been allowed to carry (progression rate of 98%).

Umthombo Youth Development Foundation

As the year draws to a close, we take a moment to reflect with immense gratitude on what we have achieved through the generous support of our Corporate, Foundation and Individual donors.

Quintile 2 matriculant completes her medical degree Cum Laude!

Zinhle Sibiya, hails from Zamokuhle village, Coronation, Vryheid, situated approximately 40 minutes’ drive from Vryheid town. She attended KwaNotshelwa High School, her local non-fee-paying quintile 2 school.