Our Governance

Windle International is an international NGO; its network of members are based in, and operate across, eastern Africa.

We share the Windle name and work together to ensure that education transforms society. Find out more about where we work here.

Our International Council

Our International Council is our UK Board of Trustees, and consists of the Chairs of the Boards of Windle member country offices, a representative of the family of our founder, and other expert voices from the sector.

  • Dr Fred Ojiambo

    Dr Ojiambo is Chair of Windle International Kenya. Senior Partner at the law firm Kaplan & Stratton in Nairobi, Fred joined the Board of Trustees for Windle International Kenya in 2002 and became its Chair in 2004. In June 2017, Fred became the Chair of the Windle International Council.

  • Richard Obonyo

    Richard Caesar Obonyo is Chair of the Board of Trustees of Windle International Uganda, and the Managing Partner at the law firm KSMO Advocates in Kampala, Uganda. Richard joined the Board of Trustees of Windle International Uganda in February 2017 and served as chair of the Board’s Governance Committee before his appointment to chair the Board in December 2022.

  • Martha Hewison

    Ms Hewison has over 20 years of education experience for UN, INGO’s, donors and governments mostly in East, West and Southern Africa with a particular focus on education in post-conflict contexts and fragile states; alternative and non-formal education provision for out of school children and youth and refugees.

    Ms Hewison is a qualified teacher with a first degree in education and a master’s degree in emergency and development practices.

  • Mukhtar Mohammed

    Muktar Mohamed has extensive experience in areas related to refugee education, protection, and humanitarian operations and has dedicated his career to supporting those affected by conflict and displacement.

    Muktar played a vital role in setting up refugee education programs in Kakuma Camp, Kenya as a senior refugee education manager .

    Muktar continues to serve those same aims with a pivotal role in strengthening the Somali government's institutional capacity.

  • Rosemary Horne

    Rosemary Horne sits on the Council as a family representative of the charity’s founder, Hugh Pilkington, and is long-term supporter of refugee rights and working toward the provision of quality education for people affected by conflict or otherwise marginalised.

  • Thor Kristian Hanisch

    Thor Kristian Hanisch has several years of experience as an adviser and teacher for refugees in Norway. While working as a project manager for ARC-aid he was in charge of exchange programs between Norway, Kenya and South Africa. He has volunteered for the Norwegian Church Aid for 25 years, in support of development programs in Africa and elsewhere.

    Educated as a sociologist of migration, Kristian now works as an adviser. He is Chair of Nordic Admission Office for medical universities abroad, and a board member of Isha Development Committee.

  • Robin Shawyer

    Robin Shawyer was a friend of the founder, Hugh Pilkington, and has been involved with Windle from the start - as a trustee on the first Windle Kenya, then executive director and now on the Windle International Council.

    Having trained as an accountant, Robin and his family spent many years in East Africa working in development before working full time for Windle.

    Robin’s wisdom, financial and development experience and above all his values are a vital part of what has allowed Windle to become the charity that it is today.

 The Executive Steering Forum

The Executive Steering Forum was established to provide thought leadership, analysis and accelerated action on shared priorities. The forum is chaired by the WI CEO, Dr Marangu Njogu, and it comprises the Executive Directors of the respective Windle member country offices. They are instrumental in preparing, modifying, adapting and aligning Windle policies, developing strategic plans, standards and values through consultations with their respective country office oversight boards.

  • Phyllis Mureu, Windle International Kenya

    Phyllis is the Executive Director of Windle International Kenya, having previously held the position of Head of Finance and Administration. She brings a wealth of experience to the role and ensures the smooth running of operations across Kenya and Somalia. She represents the interests of Kenya and Somalia at the Executive Directors Forum.

  • Andrew Omara, Windle International Uganda

    Andrew Omara is the Executive Director of Windle International Uganda. He previously held the position of Director of Programmes and ensures the smooth-running of the organisation and its programmes.

  • Dr Marangu Njogu, Windle International

    Marangu is the CEO of Windle International, providing strategic leadership and bringing together the international and regional strategies for Windle. Marangu has three honorary doctorate degrees from the Guelph University, University of British Columbia and York University. An internationally-recognised leader in the development of refugee education whose work over almost three decades has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of African refugees.