Founded in 2010, Reproductive Health Network Kenya (RHNK) is a legally registered network of over 500 trained health professionals from private and public health facilities in Kenya, committed to improving the access to comprehensive reproductive health services through strategic partnerships and capacity building for SRHR advocacy and service provision. The network was formed to contribute towards reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality due to postpartum hemorrhage and unsafe abortion. Layered on RHNK’s provider network is a youth-centric outreach platform that reaches deep into surrounding communities with SRHR information, education, referrals, advocacy, and other support through trained youth peer providers (YPPs), CHVs, and RHNK’s “Nena Na Binti” call center. RHNK is a national SRHR leader working closely with the Division of Reproductive Maternal Health at the Ministry of Health in policy review and formulation, in addition to the targeted county governments to support sensitization of existing and developed policies and ensure their full implementation. RHNK currently works with UNFPA to secure SRHR commodity and supply security through RHNK’s social enterprise and government partnership.
The organization holds several key memberships and convening roles within global and national health networks. It is an Associate Member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and a member of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC), the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) under the World Health Organization, and the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Alliance. Nationally, it is a member of the Kenya Healthcare Federation (KHF) and plays a leadership role as the convenor of the Reproductive Rights Coalition Kenya (RRC-K). Additionally, the organization is an active member of the Self-Care Trailblazer Group (SCTG) and convenes the Self-Care Core Group (SCCG), a technical working group coordinated by the Ministry of Health, aimed at advancing the institutionalization of self-care interventions in Kenya’s health system.
RHNK has six areas of strategic focus i.e. Service Delivery (to enhance capacity of RHNK to deliver sustainable comprehensive SRHR services); Advocacy (to create a strong network to advocates to champion for laws and policies that promote SRHR as a human right); Adolescents and Youth (to increase access to comprehensive SRHR services to young people including key population); Movement Building (to create a strong vibrant locally owned intersectional movement with global allies championing for an enabling environment for SRHR); Evidence and Research (to enhance SRHR evidence generation through documentation and research) and Gender Equality at Workplace (to increase awareness and advance SRHR and gender equality at the workplace). RHNK offers comprehensive SRHR and is actively engaged in providing safe abortion services and treatment of unsafe abortion, antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care, counselling and services for modern contraceptives, prevention and treatment of HIV and other STIs, preventing SGBV, comprehensive sexuality education, counselling for sexual health and well-being, detecting, preventing and managing reproductive cancers and counselling and services for infertility. Our programming centres on young people between 10 to 35 years old, especially young women, girls and marginalized youth, such as rural and peri-urban youth, those with disabilities
I am the Executive Director for Reproductive Health Network in Kenya, a network of trained private health care providers, who are passionate about ensuring provision of quality, comprehensive reproductive health information and services. I am a trained Nurse/Midwife, a Health Systems and Policy Expert, a Global Award winning Sexual and Reproductive Health Provider Champion and an advocate for human rights and an alumni of the inaugural East African Women Leadership Journey. I am passionate about protecting reproductive health rights as a way of ensuring gender equality and realization of their full potential in life.
At RHNK, I have overseen the expansion and growth of the network through training of service providers and establishing community linkages with community gatekeepers and local policy makers for advocacy purposes. I have grown the network to a membership of over 600 health care providers that have supported the realization of A healthy society with comprehensive reproductive health services. Under my leadership RHNK has developed and grown a movement of young people who are instrumental in the realization of the organization’s mission.
I have successfully engaged at the national, regional and international advocacy forums, that advocate for policy change and gender equality in provision of sexual and reproductive health services. I received the 2020 Planned Parenthood Global Citizen Award in recognition for my outstanding leadership and unwavering advocacy for access to safe and legal abortion. I have also exhibited global leadership in my role as the Kenya Self Injectable Ambassador of Access Collaborative Initiative as well as a Family Planning Advisor of the Regional Director, Women Lift Health. I serve as a Co-Chair of the Board of Directors, Africa Action Network for Nurses and Nurse-Midwives (AAN) and Steering Committee member at the Accountability Platform of the United Nations Foundation. Currently a member of the Family Planning, Total Market Approach Task Force by the Ministry of Health and the National Selfcare Network Lead (Kenya).