Amy Sheehan, Trustee

Amy joined Kaloko in 2004, as our HIV/AIDS specialist. She has worked in international development for six years, with a particular focus on community-based responses to HIV. Amy is currently the HIV Programme Funding Manager at Christian Aid.

Amy has also spent time living and working on a community project in a small village in Ghana. Prior to this, she worked for several years in programme funding for national UK-based charities including Mind, the mental health charity.

James Smyllie,
Chair of the Trustees

Jim has been Chair of the Trustees since Kaloko Trust UK's foundation, and became involved with the charity through his friendship with its founding director.

Jim is Executive Director Regional Delivery for Natural England, the organisation which protects and enhances the natural environment across the country, and has specialist knowledge on environmental protection issues. Jim previously worked in several senior jobs in Westminster, and before that in the NHS and independent sector. He is also a published writer.

Domino Champe, Trustee

Domino has been on the board of Trustees since 2001. Originally from Zambia, he has been in the UK for 34 years, so is well-placed to advise on Anglo-Zambian relations. As a Director of a Mortgage Company he is also an invaluable source of financial advice.

Although now living in the UK his heart is in Zambia, and he supports Kaloko's efforts to improve livelihoods in his native country.

Tom Ventham, Trustee

Tom is the son of a farmer and was passionate about agriculture from a young age. Following an Agriculture degree he travelled around the world during his early 20s, visiting Malawi in 1991 where he developed a love of Africa. On his return to the UK he took a Tropical Agriculture masters course which included a placement in Zimbabwe.

Tom volunteered at Kaloko Trust Zambia from 1995-98 where he set up the cheese making facilities, developed the vehicle workshop and pursued his interest in farming.

On his return to the UK, Tom worked to wind down his father’s farm before taking on the community supported, biodynamic Plaw Hatch farm nine years ago. He rears a range of livestock for meat and dairy, grows arable crops and still makes cheese.

Chris Clarkson, Trustee

Chris qualified as an Accountant in 1980 and is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. He has worked in financial management for 29 years including 10 in industry and 19 in the charity sector.

His voluntary sector experience is mainly in overseas development including: three years in Southern Sudan as a volunteer with Voluntary Service Overseas; nine years working for ActionAid, three of them spent in Sierra Leone; and seven years working as Head of Finance for small NGOs. Chris has been Kaloko’s Treasurer since 2000.

Chris recently changed career and completed training as a Nurse in September 2008, while maintaining a keen interest in development in Africa.

Julia Ventham, Trustee

Julia qualified as a nursery nurse and worked as a nanny before training as a Montessori nursery teacher. She chose a practical placement at a school in Malawi and discovered a love of Africa.

After the birth of her first child, she and her husband Tom decided to volunteer at Kaloko. Planning on a year there, they ended up staying for three! Julia was involved in many areas of the programme but focused on developing the crèche. She wanted to work with the women to provide nursery education rather than just child care.

Since returning to the UK and having her second child Julia lives and works on a busy biodynamic farm. There she home educates her two children, now aged 14 and 10, and is studying to be a healer. Julia says that Kaloko will always be very close to her heart, and by being a trustee she manages to stay in touch with the programme as it develops.