The socioeconomic impact of rural-origin graduates working as healthcare professionals in South Africa
The socioeconomic impact of rural-origin graduates working as healthcare
professionals in South Africa
Richard Gavin McGregora , Andrew John Rossb* and Ganzamungu Zihindulaa
aUmthombo Youth Development Foundation, Hillcrest, Durban, South Africa
bCollege of Health Sciences Discipline of Family Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
*Corresponding author, email: rossa@ukzn.ac.za
Background: Studies documenting the socioeconomic impact of education leading to employment of rural youth, specifically in
the healthcare professions, are lacking. The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation (UYDF) is an NGO that provides
financial support for rural students to train as healthcare professionals (HCPs) as a way of addressing staff shortages at rural
hospitals. The aim of this study was to understand the social and economic impact on individuals and their families of
qualifying as an HCP and being employed at a rural district hospital
Methodology: A mixed methodology was used to collect data from 40 graduates at eight district hospitals in rural KwaZulu-
Natal province. The research tools had qualitative and quantitative questions, with additional data being extracted from the
UYDF database. The qualitative data were analysed thematically, with STATA software being used for the quantitative analysis.
Results: The findings indicate that graduate household assets increased significantly, as did their socioeconomic circumstances,
compared with before they qualified as HCPs. Graduates attached high value to education that led to their employment, which
provided them with money to afford assets. Having a permanent job and regular income also transformed their families’ lives, as
they were able to care for their siblings and extended family members.
Conclusions: Training rural youth for employment in scarce skills that leads to employment, such as a career in the health
sciences, boosts their socioeconomic circumstances and that of their families. This contributes to the staffing of rural
hospitals, job creation and the economic development of the country.
Keywords: education, HCPs, rural areas, socioeconomic impact, South Africa, UYDF, youth
Background
South Africa (SA) has the highest Gini coefficient in the world,
indicating a large gap between the highest and lowest paid
workers in the country. Recognising a need for economic and
political transformation, the focus of the country’s National
Development Plan (NDP) was to create economic opportunities
by investing in education and job creation.1 However, with an
unemployment rate of 27%, of which 52% are under the age
of 30 years,2 new thinking is required to address the current
challenges. The high unemployment rate has been linked to
poor schooling, much of which is located in rural areas, which
are generally characterised by low levels of income and a high
dependency on social grants.3
A number of sub-Saharan African countries have invested in
education and are seeing the social and economic impact of
this decision.4,5 Studies from Nigeria affirm that education is
often the first step toward the socioeconomic development of
the people and country at large.6 Efanga and Oleforo (2012)
have highlighted that sustainable development rarely takes
place in the absence of skilled people who are able to bring
economic change to the country.6 Other studies in low- and
middle-income countries have identified a direct link between
education, skilled people and overall national development.6,7
This economic growth is attributed to innovation, an increase
in human capital8 and the increased earning capacity of those
with post-school education.9
The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation (UYDF) is an
NGO scholarship scheme that was initiated in 1999 with the
purpose of staffing rural public health facilities by training
rural origin students to become healthcare professionals
(HCPs).10 Graduates are expected to return to the district hospi-
tal where they were selected to fulfil a year-for-year work-back
obligation to the UYDF. This means that for every year of
study paid for by the UYDF, they need to work a year in a
rural health facility, with most degrees taking at least four
years to complete. By the end of 2017, 337 rural-origin students
had qualified as HCPs, with a further 253 rural-origin students
supported by UYDF registered as full-time health sciences stu-
dents at universities across SA in 2018. The focus of UYDF is to
staff rural hospitals, and 98% of graduates have fulfilled their
work-back obligation by working at a rural hospital. In addition,
just under two-thirds of graduates supported by UYDF (63%)
continue to work in rural areas after completing their work-
back obligations, and continue to provide healthcare services
to their communities.10 Both the number of graduates who
honour their work-back obligations and the percentage of
graduates who chose to work in rural areas after completion
of this obligation are important indicators of the success of
the UYDF scholarship scheme.
A 2016 economic analysis of UYDF data revealed that paying for
the training of rural-origin HCPs is an investment (rather than an
expense). While it cost R184 million to train 254 graduates, their
anticipated lifetime earnings would be in the region of R4 billion
at 2015 prices.11 In addition to the direct economic benefit to
the graduates who are working in the healthcare sector and pro-
viding important services to rural communities, there is anecdo-
tal evidence suggesting that the lives of the graduates, and their
families, have been impacted in multiple ways, as they engage in
meaningful work that is remunerated at a reasonable rate. The
South African Family Practice 2019; 61(5):184–189
https://doi.org/10.1080/20786190.2019.1647006
Open Access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons License [CC BY-NC 4.0]
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
S Afr Fam Pract
ISSN 2078-6190 EISSN 2078-6204
© 2019 The Author(s)
ARTICLE
South African Family Practice is co-published by NISC (Pty) Ltd, Medpharm Publications, and Informa UK Limited
(trading as the Taylor & Francis Group)
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4308-7818
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9865-4672
mailto:rossa@ukzn.ac.za
http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1080/20786190.2019.1647006&domain=pdf&date_stamp=2019-09-23
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
aim of this study was to better understand the socioeconomic
impact on the individuals and their families when rural-origin
HCPs work at healthcare facilities in rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
Methodology
A cross-sectional mixed methodology was adopted to obtain
both quantitative and qualitative data through a questionnaire
and from the UYDF database. The quantitative data was col-
lected through a researcher administered questionnaire, which
also contained semi-structure questions to obtain qualitative
data. The questionnaire contained the following three sections;
1. Demographic characteristics (age, gender, number of siblings,
type of school they attended) 2. Employment details (qualifica-
tion, duration of work, employer, income) 3. Household assets
before and after qualifying and starting employment as HCPs.
The last section covered the graduate’s family of origin as well
as their own family, and the type of schools attended by them-
selves and their children. The UYDF dataset was used to provide
background information on all the UYDF graduates who partici-
pated in the study.
Setting
The study was conducted in the eight rural district government
hospitals in the uMkhanyakude and Zululand Districts in north-
ern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, which is the province most
affected by the quadruple burden of diseases (HIV/AIDS and
TB, maternal and child mortality, violence and injuries, and
non-communicable diseases). The districts are also characterised
by a chronic shortage of HCPs in rural public health facilities.12
The majority of graduates had attended non-fee-paying, quintile
1 or 2 schools in rural areas, which are generally characterised by
poor infrastructure, inadequate human resources and reduced
teaching capacity.13 Based on the information provided to
UYDF when they applied for financial support, the families in
which they grew up were poor, with the majority depending
on social grants for survival. According to Statistics South
Africa, over 76% of the population living in these districts are
unemployed and more than 50% have not attended school.2
The inclusion criteria for this study were all graduates who had
been financially supported by UYDF, had returned to serve in
their rural district hospital upon completion of their health
sciences degrees, and were in at least their second year of
work post-graduation or internship. Of the 337 UYDF rural
youth who had graduated, 203 were eligible for inclusion in
the study.
Sampling strategies
The 203 UYDF graduates identified for inclusion were employed
in 16 district hospitals in rural KZN, with the questionnaires
being sent to them via email. However, as only five (5/203)
responses were received, a decision was taken to focus on
only eight district hospitals, at which nearly 70% (142) of the
203 eligible graduates worked. The principal researcher, who is
a staff member of UYDF, visited these hospitals and, after obtain-
ing informed consent, asked the graduates to complete the
questionnaires and answer the qualitative questions. The hospi-
tals were visited on only one occasion, and those graduates who
were busy or not available did not participate in the study. All
graduates who were available on the day of the interview
agreed to participate in the study.
Ethical considerations
Prior to conducting the study, all necessary ethical requirements
were adhered to in accordance with the Nuremberg code.14
Ethical approval was granted by the Biomedical Research
Ethics Committee of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (BE574/
17). All the participants read and signed a consent form prior
to taking part in the study, and agreed to their responses
being recorded on condition that their names were not used
in the final report.
We also acknowledge that there might be some bias in the
responses in this research study on the basis that the principal
researcher was a staff member of UYDF at the time when the
study was conducted and graduates’ responses could not be
verified.
Results
As at December 2017, there were 337 UYDF graduates, of whom
187 were working in rural healthcare facilities, 11 were specialis-
ing, 45 were working in public healthcare facilities and 42 were
doing their internship (which cannot be done at a rural district
hospital). The rest of the graduates either worked in private prac-
tice (27), non-government organisations (NGOs) (8), were study-
ing further (2) or were unemployed (2) (Table 1). Of the 337
UYDF-supported graduates, 145 have completed their work-
back obligation, of whom 91 continue to work in rural facilities,
while an additional 27 are working in public sector healthcare
facilities, 15 are in private practice, 4 are specialising and 8 are
working for NGOs (Table 1).
Of the 142 eligible graduates at the eight rural hospitals that
were included in the study, data were collected from 40 gradu-
ates. Although this was less than anticipated, it represents 28%
of the sample and can provide insight into the socioeconomic
changes they have experienced since graduating and starting
work. Table 2 shows their age, gender, number of siblings,
and the type of school that the graduates attended. The
mean age of the participants was 31 years, while the
genders were equally represented (20 males and 20 females).
Most graduates reported having between one and seven sib-
lings for whom they were responsible, while two reported
having no siblings. A total of 95% (n = 35) of the participants
attended non-fee-paying schools, while 5% (n = 5) attended
public fee-paying schools.
Table 3 shows the year in which they completed their university
degrees, the number of years they have been employed and
their monthly gross salary in South African Rand. All participants
completed their degrees between years 2005–2015, had worked
for between 2 and 7+ years and earned a gross salary that
ranged between R12 000 and R40 000+ per month. Participants
represented 12 different health disciplines, most being pharma-
cists (7), followed by doctors (5), physiotherapists (5), nurses
(4) and social workers (4).
To determine whether there had been a change in their house-
hold economic and social circumstances, the respondents were
asked to indicate their household’s assets when they were
growing up, and to compare those with their current assets.
All participants indicated that they witnessed major changes
in their lives as soon as they started working as HCPs (Table 4).
In addition to the changes observed in Table 4, 32 respon-
dents indicated that their parents did not own a car or land,
while 8 possessed either of the two. All 40 indicated that
The socioeconomic impact of rural-origin graduates working as healthcare professionals in South Africa 185
when they were growing up their parents lived in very poorly
built houses, most of which were made of mud. Only four
indicated that their parents were involved in informal
trading as a type of business for the family’s survival. Accord-
ing to the baseline information available in the UYDF data-
base, most of their fathers were absent, either through
divorce or being deceased, with most graduates being
raised by their mothers and grandparents. From the analysis
of the qualitative data, the following five themes were ident-
ified: perceived value of education; resources to afford
assets; transformed lives; ability to care for siblings and their
extended family; and the value attached to having a perma-
nent job and regular income.
Graduates’ perceived value of education
Participants acknowledged the value that their education had
played in their lives, with most being the first graduates in
their families, with obtaining a university degree having given
them status and prestige in their family and community:
‘Without graduating from university, I would not have had
this job. This degree has changed my personality and the
ways in which I was viewed by the community members
before my studies.’ (Occupational therapist)
The hospitals and the community have become the beneficiaries
of the value embedded in the education of these rural-origin
graduates. As one HCP reported:
‘I now have value in my family and in the community ever
since I graduated from the university. Working as a radi-
ographer at my local hospital and being the first graduate
in my entire family are both of great value.’ (Radiographer)
Resources to afford assets
In clarifying the quantitative data on the changes in their
material assets, they indicated that:
‘The house I grew up in did not have electricity or running
water. Also, in my entire family, no one had ever owned a
car but I have one and I have built myself a house and one
for my parents.’ (Medical doctor)
A key achievement was their improved financial status, which
enabled them to build houses and purchase a car to travel to
work. A similar response was given by an HCP when asked
about things that she can now afford that she could not have
afforded previously:
‘I have been working for the past five years now. I have
built a house and it is fully furnished. I drive my own car
although I am still paying for it but this year I will settle
its balance and become debt-free.’ (Pharmacist)
Table 2: Participants’ demographic characteristics (n = 40)
Characteristic No. %
Age (years):
Youngest 23
Oldest 39
Mean 31
Gender:
Males 20 50
Females 20 50
Type of school participants attended:
Non-fee (quintile 1, 2, 3) 35 95
Public fee-paying schools 5 5
Number of siblings:
0 2 5
1–3 12 31
4–6 20 51
7+ 6 14
Marital status:
Married 24 59
Unmarried 16 42
Table 1: Overview of all UYDF graduates as at December 2017
Location No. %
Work locations of all UYDF graduates in December 2017 (n = 337):
Internship 42 13
Rural areas 187 56
Public hospitals 45 13
Private hospital 27 8
Specialising 11 3
NGOs 8 2
No post/locum 8 2
Studying 4 1
Unemployed 2 1
Deceased 3 1
Total 337 100
Work locations of UYDF graduates who had completed their work-back
obligations in December 2017 (n = 145):
Rural areas 91 63
Public hospitals* 27 19
Private hospitals* 15 10
Specialising* 4 3
NGOs 8 6
Total 145 100
Professional qualifications of UYDF graduates (n = 337)
Specialty
Audiologist 4
Biomedical technologist 15 4
Clinical associate 1 0
Dentist 4 1
Dental therapist 10 3
Dietitian 11 3
Environmental Health 1 0
Doctor 113 34
Nurse 40 12
Nutritionist 1 0
Occupational therapist 8 2
Optometrist 14 4
Orthotist 1 0
Pharmacist 31 9
Psychologist 7 2
Physiotherapist 29 9
Radiographer 29 9
Social worker 14 4
Speech therapist 4 1
Total 337 100
Source: MacGregor15*—these are not in rural areas.
186 South African Family Practice 2019; 61(5):184–189
Graduates indicated that regular income was key to their ability
to afford assets.
Transformed lives
All respondents referred to their lives as being transformed from
their past to present with participants reporting that they had
observed changes in almost every aspect of their lives. In
addition to being able to afford assets, many other things had
changed in their lives:
‘I am now able to afford 80% of what was a dream to me.
My children are going to a private school. I am thankful to
the UYDF to having enabled us to get where we are
today.’ (Dentist)
They highlighted how their dreams had been realised, and that
they felt empowered by the opportunities provided by the
scholarship scheme. A similar quote was provided by another
HCP indicating that:
‘I met my current wife in the Umthombo cohort and we
are now married with children. I also own a business in
our local area which is an additional source of income
for me.’ (Physiotherapist)
Similar sentiments were shared by another graduate, who
explained how her life had been transformed upon taking up
her full-time professional job:
‘The opportunity from UYDF has transformed my life and
that of my family and community at large. I now feel the
sense of belonging and found my place in middle-class
society. My transformation is being used to transform
also the health system at our hospital.’ (Dietitian)
Table 3: Professional characteristics of participants (n = 40)
Characteristic No. % Profession Male, no. Female, no.
Study completion year: Audiology 1 1
2005–2011 9 23.8 Dentistry 2 0
2012–2013 15 36.0 Dietetics 2 1
2014–2015 16 41.2 Medicine 3 2
Number of years in employment: Nursing 1 3
2–3 years 14 35.0 Occupational therapy 1 2
4–6 years 17 42.5 Optometry 1 1
7+ years 9 22.5 Pharmacy 3 4
Current gross monthly salary: Physiotherapy 3 2
R10000–R24999 17 42.5 Radiography 1 1
R25000–R30000 11 27.5 Radiology 1 0
R35000–R40000+ 12 30.0 Social work 1 3
Table 4: Household socioeconomic assets before and while working after graduation
Factor Household socioeconomic assets Previously owned (%) Currently owned (%) Observations
Alternative power source 05.3 12.5 Doubled
Power supply Electricity 41.0 92.5 Doubled
Power generator 10.3 20.6 Doubled
Solar energy 13.2 00.0 Decreased
Computer or laptop 10.3 74.4 Increased 7x
DVD player 35.9 48.7 Increased
Equipment Electric or gas stove 56.4 92.1 Doubled
Internet by computer 05.1 29.7 Increased 6x
Internet by mobile 12.8 79.5 Increased 6x
Microwave 25.6 87.5 Tripled
Mobile phone 69.2 92.3 High increase
Radio 94.9 74.4 Use decreased
Refrigerator 48.7 95.0 Doubled
Satellite TV or DSTV 18.0 79.5 Quadrupled
Sewing machine 18.0 02.9 Decreased
Television 43.6 85.0 Doubled
Telephone 20.5 35.9 Increased
Washing machine 05.1 21.1 Quadrupled
Ablution Toilet facility indoors 15.4 71.1 Increased 5x
Transport Bicycle 30.8 08.8 Decreased
Motorcycle 00.0 00.0 None
Motor vehicle 23.1 82.5 Quadrupled
The socioeconomic impact of rural-origin graduates working as healthcare professionals in South Africa 187
Ability to care for siblings and extended family
Caring for siblings is part of life for most rural families, with the
participants indicating that as soon as they started to earn an
income, they were expected to become the supporter of the
entire family, anecdotally referred to as ‘black tax’. The partici-
pants reported that they were able to provide financial
support to their families, which they could not have afforded
without becoming an HCP and obtaining employment:
‘In my second year of my work, I purchased a car and
started to build a house for my family. Both mom and
my three siblings are now staying in a nice house. I am
paying for my siblings’ school fees and we can now
afford all basics without trouble.’ (Social worker)
Value of permanent job and regular income for
graduates
Their achievements were attributed to the value of having a per-
manent job, which assures them of a sustainable income. Most
indicated that, without a permanent job, much of what they
have realised would have not been achieved, as job security is
required to get a bank loan for a house or car:
‘I feel that I am privileged to complete my degree and get
a permanent job automatically. Most of my friends from
university are still struggling to get a placement. The
UYDF has made it easy for us. Having a permanent job
is a big assurance that there is a month-to-month
income and this allows me to budget very well and
spend wisely.’ (Medical doctor)
The transformation in their lives was described using terms such
as: ‘abilities to provide for my family’, ‘having a regular source of
income’ and ‘permanent position in the hospital’.
Discussion
The aim of this study was to understand the social and economic
impact on the individual and family when rural-origin graduates
returned to work as HCPs. Given the context of large-scale
unemployment in South Africa, specifically among the youth,
the UYDF provides training for employment in the healthcare
sector and ensures that graduates have access to jobs in the
public sector on completion of their qualifications. Although
not guaranteed, the vast majority of UYDF graduates have
been able to find employment upon graduation because of
their professional qualification and understanding of the local
language and culture.
The UYDF supports the government’s priority focus on addres-
sing unemployment by training youth for jobs in the health
sector. Reports from the Department of Higher Education and
Training (DHET) and Statistics SA (StatsSA) suggest that, in
2017, a total of 7.8 million youth were neither in education,
employment nor training (NEET).16,2 The NEET rate for this age
group increased from 38.2% in 2013 to 38.6% in 2017.16 Rural
youth are the worst affected by unemployment due to poor sec-
ondary schooling, lack of information concerning opportunities
and absence of financial support from their families. The UYDF
support addresses all these with its focus on rural youth, and
supports them by providing training to fill posts in the health-
care sector.
Alignment of the UYDF initiative with SA-NDP
The main purpose of the NDP is to eradicate poverty and reduce
inequality in South Africa by 2030.1 In terms of inequality, the
2017/2018 report by the South African Human Rights Commis-
sion (SAHRC) indicated that SA remains the most unequal
country in the world, with 64% of Black South Africans, 41% of
Coloured citizens, 6% of Indian citizens and only 1% of White
citizens living in poverty.17 This inequality is driven by limited
education attainment leading to unemployment and poverty,
in which many rural communities are trapped.2 Since 1999,
the UYDF has been identifying youth from rural areas and sup-
porting them at universities where they qualify to become
HCPs, on the understanding that they will return there to
serve where the demand for healthcare services is high. With
an annual pass rate of 92% over the past six years, the UYDF
has shown that, with focused support, rural youth can train
and qualify as HCPs.10 The UYDF model aligns not only with
the NDP 2030 plan, but also with the South African 10-point
plan to improve the health system.
The findings in this research were consistent with the litera-
ture on the role of education in socioeconomic transformation,
and highlights the part that education and employment can
play in Third World countries. Cloete (2015) conducted a
study on youth unemployment in SA, and concluded that
those who find jobs reported a feeling of restored dignity,
while those who remain unemployed felt undeserving and
without a place in society.18 In line with the finding of this
study, the graduates who participated reported being role
models in their communities, as they built houses for their
parents and became involved in economic activities, which,
in addition to their income tax, contributes to rural economic
development.
Education leading to employment
All of the graduates were aware of how different their lives
would have been had they not graduated as an HCP and
secured a permanent well-paying job in the healthcare
sector. The benefits reported by graduates in this study were
only possible because their education led to employment,
that is, they had studied a scarce skill where numerous posts
were available in rural hospitals (due to financial constraints
within the Department of Health this may no longer be the
case). Post-school education alone may not lead to employ-
ment, as many graduates in South Africa remain unemployed.2
Thus, the findings in this study are consistent with previous
publications on the role of education as being key to employ-
ment. A study of youth in India confirms the link between edu-
cation and employment as key to eradicating unemployment
and poverty in this population.19 Other studies conducted in
the United States revealed similar results, and support the
claim that education for employment is an investment for
the government,20 while others suggest that it contributes to
the creation of permanent jobs for the youth.21 In addition,
a study by Brock (2010) highlights that educating adults
does break barriers and often contributes to them accessing
economic opportunities.22
The UYDF model as a response to national priorities
The youth unemployment rate in SA is alarming,2 and has
become a national key priority that must be addressed. Initiat-
ives that respond to the national priority of youth employment
are thus needed, and should be supported by the national gov-
ernment. Evidence from national and international studies has
shown that rural youth can succeed at university despite
coming from poorly resourced as well as rurally based
schools,23–27 can successfully qualify as HCPs25,10 and can be
part of the solution to unemployment in SA.
188 South African Family Practice 2019; 61(5):184–189
Limitations
This research study had some limitations. The self-reported data
could not be verified, and the potential response bias due to the
affiliation of the principal researcher to the UYDF may have influ-
enced the results. The issue of social desirability bias was also a
limitation to the study. Finally, the sample size was relatively
small: 40 of 142 eligible graduates participated in the study.
Conclusion
All graduates who participated in the study reported improved
socioeconomic status in their own lives and that of their families
as a result of being employed as an HCP. The graduates saw the
value of education, as they reported investing in better edu-
cation for their siblings and own children. Training rural youth
for employment in scarce skills (such as health) is key to improv-
ing their socioeconomic lives, as well as that of their families and
the organisations for which they work. The value of education
must not be ignored in the fight against youth unemployment
in SA. Findings from this study showed how the socioeconomic
impact made by having a permanent well-paying job trans-
formed the lives of those young people supported by the
UYDF, helped restore their dignity and self-respect, and made
them proud of their contribution to their families, and to health-
care services at the local hospital.
Disclosure statement – No potential conflict of interest was
reported by the authors.
ORCID
Richard Gavin McGregor http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4308-
7818
Ganzamungu Zihindula http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9865-4672
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Received: 11-03-2019 Accepted: 19-07-2019
The socioeconomic impact of rural-origin graduates working as healthcare professionals in South Africa 189
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4308-7818
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4308-7818
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9865-4672
http://www.gov.za
http://www.statssa.gov.za/?
https://www.elc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BestInvestment_Full_Report_6.27.11.pdf
https://www.elc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/BestInvestment_Full_Report_6.27.11.pdf
http://mtubatuba.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/MTUBATUBA-LM-FINAL-IDP-2017-18-DATE-27-JUNE-2017-latest-V3.pdf
http://mtubatuba.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/MTUBATUBA-LM-FINAL-IDP-2017-18-DATE-27-JUNE-2017-latest-V3.pdf
http://mtubatuba.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/MTUBATUBA-LM-FINAL-IDP-2017-18-DATE-27-JUNE-2017-latest-V3.pdf
https://doi.org/10.7196/samj.2017.v107i10.1253
https://doi.org/10.7196/samj.2017.v107i10.1253
https://www.umthomboyouth.org.za
https://www.umthomboyouth.org.za
https://www.gov.za/documents/department-higher-education-and-training-annual-report-20172018-9-sep-2018-0000
https://www.gov.za/documents/department-higher-education-and-training-annual-report-20172018-9-sep-2018-0000
http://www.ewn.co.za/2018/o7/12/sahrc-sa-is-most-unequal-country-in-world
http://www.ewn.co.za/2018/o7/12/sahrc-sa-is-most-unequal-country-in-world
http://www.worldbank.org
https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4491-12-12
https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.1040879
Abstract
Background
Methodology
Setting
Sampling strategies
Ethical considerations
Results
Graduates’ perceived value of education
Resources to afford assets
Transformed lives
Ability to care for siblings and extended family
Value of permanent job and regular income for graduates
Discussion
Alignment of the UYDF initiative with SA-NDP
Education leading to employment
The UYDF model as a response to national priorities
Limitations
Conclusion
Disclosure statement
ORCID
References
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