Who we are

It is our mission to support communities affected by conflict or disaster to regain control of their own health and wellbeing. We are convinced that even the most vulnerable people have the inner strength to (re) build a better future for themselves and those around them.

But how did it all start? 'HealthNet International' (HNI) was established in 1992 by members of Doctors without Borders who wanted to bridge the gap between the emergency aid and long-term structural development. In 2005, HNI merged with the Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation (TPO). HNI had knowledge and experience in strengthening healthcare systems and prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. TPO brought its expertise in the field of psychosocial and mental healthcare for survivors of war and natural disasters. From this moment, the organisation became 'HealthNet TPO'. 

The practical experience of HNI combined with academic background of TPO led to the development and implementation of innovative care systems in conflict affected areas. HealthNet TPO maintains a relationship with our partner organisations TPO Uganda and TPO Nepal.

Building upon our strengths, HealthNet TPO has adopted a new strategy for 2019-2023 which focuses on the integration of mental health and psychosocial support throughout our projects. Read more about our strategy here.

In 2022, HealthNet TPO celebrated its thirtieth anniversary. For more than three decades, HealthNet TPO has supported millions of people living in conflict-affected and fragile settings across 45 countries to build a healthier future for themselves and those around them.

Look back at some of our key moments during thirty years of HealthNet TPO.

HealthNet TPO is committed to building a better world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and free from harassment and bias. We are working diligently to improve our existing policies and procedures on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, including those on whistleblowing and complaints, anti-sexual harassment, anti-trafficking, prevention of sexual exploitation and child safeguarding. We aim to ensure these stronger policies are effective and relevant in our programmes and all our offices and go beyond industry standards and donor requirements.

We have a zero-tolerance approach when it comes to abuse, whether it be fraud or misconduct in any form. For that we strive to strengthen our organisational culture and have policies and procedures related to gender, diversity and inclusion, anti-corruption as well as sexual misconduct in any form in place.

We have established a dedicated, independent Ethics Committee to evaluate the processes and to monitor and report to the Board. An external Confidential Contact Person is available in order to avoid conflicts of interest and offer a safe environment.

We know that policies have to be more than words on paper. It's what we do with them that will determine whether they are effective. We make the necessary efforts to implement the policies and make people aware of their rights and how they can address issues they face. We continuously focus on making our staff and partners aware of the values we stand for and how we expect them to act.