Our history

Windle Trust International’s work is the legacy of Dr Hugh Austin Windle Pilkington, a man who dedicated his life to helping refugees access further education.

In the 1970s, Dr Hugh Austin Windle Pilkington was an academic, working at Nairobi University.

He was studying the ancient Ethiopian language of Ge’ez. Through his work, he met Ethiopian men and women who were fleeing conflict in their country and seeking sanctuary in Kenya.

His concern for these young refugees - and those arriving from other countries - grew. Hugh passionately believed in the importance and transformative power of education, and he used his own resources to establish Windle Trust Kenya (now Windle International Kenya) in 1977 to help both refugee and Kenyan students to realise their academic potential.

Hugh believed strongly in the value of education for personal and professional development, and that refugees should have equal access to educational opportunities. After his death in 1986, his personal estate was used to establish a trust in his name (The Hugh Pilkington Charitable Trust -“HPCT”). HPCT expanded to respond to the educational needs of conflict-affected communities in Uganda and then Sudan in the 1990s, with HPCT’s programme operations becoming part of a newly registered Windle Trust International from 2002.

In 2004, HPCT’s operations in Uganda became Windle Trust Uganda, and then in 2005 WTI began operations in what is now South Sudan.

Today, WTI manages its programmes from its offices in Khartoum (Sudan), Juba (South Sudan) and Oxford (UK) whilst enjoying close relations with its affiliated charities in Kenya and Uganda. 2013 saw the creation of the Windle International Secretariat, and the renamed organisations of Windle International Kenya (WIK) and Windle International Uganda (WIU). Currently, the Windle family operates a parallel structure, with Windle International Kenya, Windle International Uganda, and the Windle International Secretariat forming the Windle International umbrella, whilst Windle Trust International operates as one independent NGO in the UK, Sudan, and South Sudan.

Like all Windles, WTI benefits from the continued support of Dr Hugh Pilkington’s legacy and the Hugh Pilkington Charitable Trust, who continue to provide funding to support programme operations.

Taking Hugh’s vision into the future

  • We believe that every child is entitled to a high quality education that will not only extend knowledge and understanding but also inspire independent thought, critical analysis, a sense of responsibility and a commitment to the common good.

    Find out more about our approach and values.

  • We embed our values and approach across everything we do.

    Click here to find out more about our programmes.

  • Our 2021 - 2025 Strategic Plan shows how we intend to continue supporting all those who need access to quality education in conflict-affected and marginalised communities.

    Click here for our Strategic Plan.

Today, Windle Trust International still operates with the same values that originally guided Hugh. Explore how we do that here.

> Find out about Our approach and values