Doctors for Mozambique

Contact with the Dutch foundation Doctors for Mozambique was made via a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Aumund Foundation. Harrie and Birgitta van der Meeren, who teach at the Catholic University in Beira, founded this organisation which awards scholarships to talented young people from financially challenging circumstances in rural areas of Mozambique, who would not have been able to study medicine without this support. One specific objective is to include women in the scholarship programme. Birgitta van der Meeren says, “It is almost impossible for girls from rural regions to become doctors. This is one of the consequences of the cultural backdrop in rural areas, where young girls must still enter into arranged marriages and therefore have no opportunity for intellectual development.”

Every January a new cohort is chosen from around 20 candidates who take part in a three-day selection process.

Since 2024, the Aumund Foundation has funded a new cohort each year until graduation. Since 2026, our collaboration has been complemented by a pilot project: the “Pilot Medical Volunteering Program at Beira Central Hospital.” In this program, qualified doctors who received support from Doctors for Mozambique during their studies have the opportunity to gain practical experience on the pediatric ward of Beira Central Hospital for two years after graduation. Their living expenses are covered by the Aumund Foundation. This project became necessary due to the nationwide hiring freeze for doctors.