The Institute for Healing of Memories was founded in 1998 by Fr. Michael Lapsley, SSM, who lost both hands and an eye in a letter bomb attack in Zimbabwe 1990.

The Healing of Memories Workshop was first developed to run in parallel to South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1996-1997), creating additional platforms for those who wished to share their experiences and be heard compassionately.
 Over the following two years, the workshops were offered through the length and breadth of the country, and in 1998 the Institute for Healing of Memories was born.   

In addition to local and global work around trauma, violence and reconciliation, the Institute today also facilitates anti-racism trainings, retreats for social justice activists, campaigns against drug use and human trafficking, and provides support for families involved with the Foundation of Human Rights. 

AIAIA funding supports the Institute's youth programs in schools known as the Restoring Humanity Program. These activities support the building of psychosocial and emotional awareness, peaceful conflict resolutions skills, as well as work around the prevention of teen pregnancy and teen suicide in later grades.