The Foundation's Board of Directors is chaired by His Excellency Dr. Aseffa Abreha (Ethiopia's representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and is composed of internationally recognized pioneers in poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Conference attendees presented overviews of their work in strengthening food security, improving healthcare, promoting education, and the role of simple technology transfer in helping people rise above the devastating effects of extreme poverty.
Throughout the conference, an overarching theme emerged: Ethiopia's greatest single need is to have access to professional guidance in identifying good solutions to the problems of extreme poverty.
Dr. David A. Blankinship, Dr. Getachew Tikubet, and Dr. Donald C. Johnson developed an overall model for an organization that would mobilize international expertise to assist Ethiopians in their struggle to overcome extreme poverty.
On 25 January 2002, they met with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and outlined the concept of creating an international resource in service to poverty reduction in Ethiopia.