In this case, it was Aletta's sister, Charlotte Jacobs (the first female to obtain a degree in pharmacology in the Netherlands), who helped establish a foundation to raise funds for female students attending STOVIA.[4] The foundation was established on 1 September 1912 with the help of Marie van Zeggelen and Elisabeth van Deventer.[5][6] The foundation that they formed was the Society to Form a Study Fund for Training Female Native Doctors (SOVIA or Vereeniging tot Vorming van een Studiefonds voor Opleiding van Vrouwelijke Inlandsche Artsen).[7][8][9] Thomas entered STOVIA in September 1912 and was supported by the SOVIA foundation.