About Us

The FOM Scholarship Scheme exists to help provide high quality health services to the people of rural South Africa, by the identification, training and support of rural students who have the potential to become rural health care professionals.

The Scholarship Scheme is a project of the FOM Trust which is a registered non-profit (010-021 NPO) with tax exemption status in terms of Section 18A. The Trust is guided by a Founder and a minimum of three Trustees who mandate a Director to direct and manage the work. The Trustees meet at least three times a year and the Founder chooses new members when there is a need for it, and in consultation with the Director and the Trustees. The Director employs staff to do the work.

The Scholarship Scheme does not have any parent organisations or head office to which it is accountable — it is an independent civil society organisation. It is however, mutually accountable with the Working Groups at hospitals in the Umkhanyakude district. The Working Groups play a key bridging role with the various communities, finding local solutions to local problems. They further help to choose the learners who receive scholarships, and also co-ordinate the holiday work for students. Generally they comprise of Scholarship Scheme graduates and alumni, hospital staff, hospital management, Amakhosi (traditional chiefs) and representatives from the Department of Education. The FOM Scholarship Scheme has good and long-standing relationships with the hospitals in the Umkhanyakude district, and is in contact with the district and provincial offices of the Department of Health.

So, what does FOM stand for? It's and acronym for Friends Of Mosvold, as Mosvold Hospital was where the Scholarship Scheme started in 1999. Now read our History