Background

Health NGOs Network (HENNET) was founded in early 2005 as a result of a felt need to set up a forum for NGOs dealing with health issues for purposes of collaboration, sharing of experiences and advocacy. HENNET brings together different health oriented CSOs, with diverse interests, but all having a common vision of a 'Healthy Kenyan Society'. A functional and effective HENNET secretariat is hosted at African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) Kenya Country Office. HENNET is governed by a board of 11 members elected by HENNET members. The current board members are; Family Health International (FHI), Kenya Episcopal Conference Catholic Secretariat (KEC-CS), Helpage Kenya (HAK), Liverpool VCT Care and Treatment (LVCT), Mildmay International (MI), Aga Khan Foundation, (AKF), Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP), Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO), Association for the Physically Disabled In Kenya (APDK), Handicap International (HI) and the Kenya NGO Alliance Against Malaria (KeNAAM)

Vision
"A healthy Kenyan Society"

Mission
"To stimulate linkages and strategic partnerships among health Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Government and private sector in order to enhance their responses towards health needs of Kenyans".

HENNET Objectives

• Articulate health needs and promote efficient and effective allocation of health resources.
• Share knowledge, skills, research findings, information, best practices and lessons learnt among NGOs, government and private health care providers.
• Articulate and address challenges and constraints affecting health NGOs, government and private providers.
• Support health NGOs in their advocacy role in critical issues affecting the health of Kenyans.
• Coordinate NGOs health activities so that they are in line with relevant National health policies and procedures.
• Actively participate in development and implementation of national health plans and policies.
• Build alliances with other health networks as both national and international levels.
• Build capacity of the Network's members in areas of need.
• Mobilise resources for HENNET secretariat.

HENNET achievements

Among other achievements, HENNET has so far;

• Gained recognition by the Kenyan Ministries of Health (MoH) as a key stakeholder.
• Participated in the continued development of the MoH Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) which include development of a Code of Conduct (CoC) which HENNET will be signatory of; reviewing and developing annual operational plans, participation in the Joint Design Mission for the joint program of work and funding.
• Carried out Capacity Building workshops to prepare HENNET members for MOH Annual Operation Plans 3-5 (AOP 3, AOP 4 and AOP 5).
• Developed a HENNET website, www.hennet.or.ke
• Election of a full HENNET Board.
• Inclusion of HENNET in the MOH Health Sector Coordinating Committe (HSCC), AOP steering committee and National Aids Control Council (NACC) capacity building committee.
• Inclusion of Private Public Partnerships (PPP) in the Joint Design Mission (JDM) report with NGOs Issues well articulated.
• Initiated inclusion of some of the JDM PPP recommendations.

Benefits of subscribing to HENNET

• MoH has recognized HENNET as a key stakeholder.
• Influence the Kenya Health SWAp process by playing an advocacy role.
• Contribute to MoH policy and strategy development through representation in relevant fora.
• Learn from each other and share experiences.
• Coordinate health NGOs activities.
• Paid up members can post information on the HENNET website.

Criteria for Membership 

• Credible, legally registered and active NGOs, Faith-Based Orgnizations (FBOs) and Networks involved in health as core business.
• Must agree to be bound by HENNET aims and objectives.
• Subscribe to the HENNET constitution.
• One time registration fee of Ksh. 5000 for both National and International Organization and an annual subscription fee of Ksh. 5000 for national organizations and Ksh. 10,000 for International organisations. Annual subscription fees will be renewed each October.