Starting in Ghana · Serving Africa

Standing with those who have the least.

The Michael Selby Foundation supports underprivileged people, from the sick who cannot afford hospital care to people living with disability, with practical help given with dignity. We are starting in Ghana, with the aim of reaching people across Africa.

A nurse checks on a young child in a hospital ward while his father looks on.
Photo: Speak Media Uganda / Pexels

Why this exists

We like to say we came into this world with nothing but life. I see it differently.

Most of us arrived with advantages we never stop to notice: eyes that see, lungs that breathe easily, legs that carry us, a voice, a body that works. I call this our life startup capital, and none of us did anything to earn it.

Some people arrive in debt instead, through no fault of their own, just as the rest of us arrived healthy through no effort of ours. In many ways it is a coin flip. In another life, you could have been born without sight, or without the use of your legs. Anything you have seen happen to someone else could happen to you. That we are well today is grace.

So I believe those of us who were given more have a responsibility to look out for those who were given less. That is why this foundation exists.

Michael SelbyFounder

An older man in a patterned shirt sits in a wheelchair at a busy street market.
Photo: Photo Nerd / Pexels

Who We Help

Help for people with nowhere else to turn.

Poverty turns everyday problems into emergencies. An illness becomes a bill that cannot be paid, and a disability becomes a barrier to work, school and community life. We step in where help is needed most, including:

  • People who are sick and cannot pay for hospital treatment, surgery or medication
  • People living with blindness, deafness or physical disability
  • The elderly and others without family to support them
  • Families facing sudden hardship

How We Help

Help that reaches the person who needs it.

Every request is looked at individually. We confirm each need, decide what support makes the biggest difference, and follow up afterwards.

Health workers attend to elderly people seated outdoors in a village clinic yard.
Photo: Denis Ngai / Pexels
  • Direct to careWherever possible we pay hospitals, clinics and suppliers directly, so donations go straight to treatment and equipment.
  • Dignity firstWe treat everyone we support with respect and protect their privacy. Stories are shared only with consent.
  • Open accountsWe report on how donations are used, so you can see the difference your gift makes.

Get Help

Do you, or someone you know, need support?

Write to us with the person's name, where they live and a short description of their situation. For hospital care, include the hospital and the estimated cost. We read every request.

Email a Request

A man pushes a friend in a wheelchair along a quiet street.
Photo: Safari Consoler / Pexels