About Us
Michael Lapsley Foundation is non-governmental organization, which seeks humanitarian support and collective development for the needy in the society.
Michael Lapsley Foundation overreaching aim is to enable people to develop their ideas, knowledge and skills through literacy and reading, so they can take control of their lives and contribute to the development of their communities.
We support organizations that promote literacy, learning and poverty eradication, Child Education, Disability, Orphans and street children, ICT, Rural Education.
The Foundation has networked with some Selected Special Schools in Ghana and has undertaken the following activities: Humanitarian donation, Collate and compiled nationwide database for children with disability. Education and sensitization on the rights of children with disability. Consultative workshop on stigmatization and discrimination for disabled youth. Etc
We are currently working in partnership with Oklahoma library for the Physically Challenged, Nebraska Instructional Resource Center, BFA-USA, and Institute of Healing of Memories-Cape Town, Youth Welfare and Development Organization (YWDO) in Sierra Leone etc
Mission Statement
The mission of the Foundation is to improve the quality of life of the underprivileged by addressing their educational and social development needs through the provision of resources, information and training.
HISTORY OF MICHAEL LAPSLEY
Michael Lapsley was born in Hastings, New Zealand on June 2nd 1949 at the very beginning of the apartheid era in South Africa. His parents were very devout Christians and baptized the fifth of their seven children, “Alan Michael.” When Michael entered the society of the Sacred Mission (SSM) at the tender age of seventeen, he dropped the name “Alan “and took his second name as his religious name.
His first contact with South Africa happened some years before his entering the religious life when at the age of thirteen he read Travel Huddleston’s “Naught for your comfort” which made an indelible impression on him.
Michael Lapsley is one of the prominent figures in South Africa who championed the cause to an end, to South Africa’s Apartheid. He had his calling to the priesthood in the early 70’s. Michael’s pat for honesty, truth and dedication was capitalized with scorn, humiliation and bitter experience, but yet, glorious, Fr. Mike, as he is affectionately called has a humble beginning and inspires people through his sermons and counseling particularly during South Africa’s iron rule of oppression. Nelson Mandela, a former South African leader describes him as a special person because of his role in the fight for freedom.
He is a man of vision who waded through great pain and suffering in the pursuit for freedom and justice for the ordinary people in South Africa.
April 1990 he became the target of a letter bomb from South Africa. Loosing both hands and eye. Notwithstanding all these calamities he went through, Fr. Mike still as has passion for humankind.
The Foundation was named after him because of his immense contributions to the black Africa community during and after apartheid regime in South Africa.
