After an exemplary graduate and post graduate education in the UK and overseas, Dr Ife has emerged as a leading figure in the fight against African poverty. He maintains his academic standing as a senior visiting Research Fellow of the University of East London.

Dr Ife is now a highly respected International Consultant and Businessman, as well as a manufacturing cosmetics chemist. He is international coordinator of Africa Business Round Table and the New Partnership for African Development, Business Group; shaping business policy and strategy formulation on Africa. He is an authority on the oil-rich Jatropha plant

Mrs Loxham is qualified as a teacher however her strong social commitment was displayed for several years as she involved herself as an adviser for the Citizens Advice Bureau in Wales. She holds powerful environmental opinions in line with all other Trustees.

In the context of Community Economic Development, empowerment and social inclusion for women Mrs Ife was instrumental in setting up some 50 Community based Training functions amongst London's visible minority groups. (Jewish, Afro-Caribbean, Asian Greek Turkish, Cypriot ). She has long championed the “strength of community” as a positive factor and been a vigorous proponent of gender equality.

In recent years Mr Loxham has acted as an environmental researcher and project author. His varied background includes a career in the Brewing Industry, where he qualified as a technical brewer in Biochemistry, Microbiology and Brewery Engineering.

He later worked as a director with an NHBC registered House builder. It was during this period that he became aware of the acute need for new building materials, designs and construction methods. Mr Loxham's interest in humanitarian matters was kindled when working with a colleague of Zia Rizvi, (UN - Pakistan) the Ex officio member of the independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues. (Geneva.)
See Andrew's blog at http://terragenia.typepad.com/ecovillage-economics/