We reviewed over 200 businesses worldwide*, and have identified over 165 businesses operating in the care economy across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia who met the following 4 criteria:
1. Geography focus: operating in project target countries.
2. Care economy impact: business activities recognize, reduce, reward or redistribute care work.
3. Proof of concept: care economy activities at least at the launch stage (none of the businesses are at concept stage).
4. Market-based intervention: already or planning to be financially profitable or to generate income in the medium term.
Out of the mapping we selected 60 businesses to conduct a full profile and showcase potential investment opportunities. These profiles have been created from information and data provided by the business itself. Use the filter on the left to access the businesses profiled.
* Disclaimer: The data presented in the business mapping and profiles is based on information provided by the businesses and has not been independently verified
1. Geography focus: operating in project target countries.
2. Care economy impact: business activities recognize, reduce, reward or redistribute care work.
3. Proof of concept: care economy activities at least at the launch stage (none of the businesses are at concept stage).
4. Market-based intervention: already or planning to be financially profitable or to generate income in the medium term.
Out of the mapping we selected 60 businesses to conduct a full profile and showcase potential investment opportunities. These profiles have been created from information and data provided by the business itself. Use the filter on the left to access the businesses profiled.
* Disclaimer: The data presented in the business mapping and profiles is based on information provided by the businesses and has not been independently verified
USAFI GREEN ENERGY LIMITED
Website: usafigreenenergy.co.ke
Headquarters: Kenya
Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: At least 51% owned by women
About the organization: Usafi Green Energy Limited is a for-profit company that manufactures and distributes cookstoves and biomass briquettes in Kenya. Usafi briquettes are of high carolific value and high heat content therefore make it more viable for household, industrial and institutional use as a fuel. It reduces care work by saving cost and energy. Through the use of the enterprise’s renewable energy products 3 out of 10 trees have been saved and over 4200 households are using the product.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Usound
Website: www.usound.co
Headquarters: Argentina
Country of Operations: Argentina
Women owned / led: At least 30% of women in board of directors
About the organization: uSound is an Intelligent Hearing System that transforms smartphones into listening devices for hearing assistance. The device’s cutting-edge technology is interactive and can learn and grow from the user’s needs, helping to improve people’s quality of life for essential communication and other benefits. uSound also contributes to preventing future hearing loss by dynamically adjusting the intensity of sound frequencies to an optimal level according to the patient´s demands.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Recognize
Uthabiti Africa
Website: www.uthabitiafrica.org
Headquarters: Kenya
Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: At least 30% women in senior leadership positions, At least 30% of women in board of directors
About the organization: Uthabiti is a for-profit entity that exists to accelerate early childhood care, education and development (ECCED) in Africa. It accelerates access to quality and affordable childcare services for all. The organization redistributes care and domestic work by coordinate collaboration among childcare actors, facilitates organizing of childcare entrepreneurs and service providers; as well as influences creation of an enabling policy environment that supports child care enterprises and the childcare workforce to thrive. In 2021, the entity has also set up a non-profit entity.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve conditions for domestic & care worker
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute
Voy al Doc
Website: Not available
Headquarters: Mexico
Country of Operations: Mexico
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Voy al Doc is an online medical care scheduling service that facilitates medical professionals’ and facilities’ online search and booking. Voy al Doc is Mexico’s first online medical care scheduling service, providing patients with online search and booking options. Voy al Doc service meets both patients’ and medical practitioners’ needs. It helps patients find a doctor of a particular specialty in the most convenient location and allows them to book appointments instantly online or by phone. Simultaneously, Voy al Doc also enables doctors to attract and retain new patients and support them in managing their appointments and filling in last-minute cancellations.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Care for people with illnesses
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Redistribute
Washly BD
Website: washlybd.com
Headquarters: Bangladesh
Country of Operations: Bangladesh
Women owned / led: None
About the organization: Washly BD is a for-profit entity that provides laundry services to urban households in Bangladesh. Customers can use online platform or the app to request for laundry pick-ups that are delivered within 24 hours. Washly BD’s services reduce the burden of washing, drying and ironing clothes, bulk of which is undertaken by women.
Stage of Growth: Launch/Pilot
Types of Services: Domestic services, Labor saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Wisdom Stoves
Website: www.wisdomstoves.org
Headquarters: Kenya
Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: At least 30% of women in board of directors
About the organization: Wisdom Stoves is a nonprofit that designs, manufactures and distributes fuel-efficient cook stoves called the Malaika Jiko, empowering women and conserving natural resources. It hugely reduces care work by saving time and allows families to save money on fuel (biomass vs. charcoal, kerosene or propane) and energy spent by women in cooking. In addition lowering the health risks for women and children in Kenya who cook over an open fire. The non-profit greatly reduces destruction of wood growth compared with current methods of charcoal production.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Xalco Ltd – Trading as “UJUZI FURSA AFRICA” “HOMECARE360” “COMFORTCARE360”
Website: www.homecare-360.com
Headquarters: Kenya
Country of Operations: Kenya, South Sudan
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 51% owned by women, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions, At least 30% of women in board of directors
About the organization: Xalco Ltd is a social enterprise that trains and certifies caregivers in Kenya and South Sudan. Its services include provision home health care services such as asssitance to daily living, companionship to elders, post operation/surgery patients, mentally ill elders, among others. The enterprise leverages an online platform to connect caregivers to customers. Its services not only reduce the burden of care work but also provide trainings to caregivers.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above), Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons), Care for people with illnesses, Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute
Yana
Website: yana.com.mx
Headquarters: Mexico
Country of Operations: Mexico
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 51% owned by women
About the organization: Yana is an application that provides access to mental health tools to millions of Spanish-speaking users around the world. Yana accompanies people on their path to emotional well-being through strategies based on CBT.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Care for people with illnesses
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Redistribute
Zennya Health
Website: www.zennya.com
Headquarters: Philippines
Country of Operations: Philippines
Women owned / led: Information not available
About the organization: Zennya is a for-profit company that provides online doctor consultations as well as home medical services in Philippines. Through provision of services such as general health check-ups and medical tests at home, it redistributes and reduces the burden of care work on the family members. It also enables patients to receive the care they need without leaving their homes, doing away with the potentially cumbersome transport arrangements and long wait times at clinics and / or hospitals.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: “Infant-care (children younger than 1-year)
Child-care (Ages 1 to 5) Child-care (Ages 6 and above) Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above) Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons) Care for people with illnesses”
Child-care (Ages 1 to 5) Child-care (Ages 6 and above) Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above) Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons) Care for people with illnesses”
Activities in the care economy: services & policies/practice that improve condition for domestic & care worker (e.g. apps that calculate decent remuneration)
Pathway to impact: Redistribute
Zolvers
Website: zolvers.com
Headquarters: Argentina
Country of Operations: Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Colombia
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 51% owned by women, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions
About the organization: Zolvers is an online platform that aims to improve the lives of 17 million domestic workers in Latin America through better job opportunities and financial inclusion. Zolvers offer a range of care and household services: accompaniment for the elderly, nursing, care for people with disabilities, plumbing, painting, electricity services, gas filters, house and office cleaning, installation services, and general repairs. They directly impact the redistribution of care and domestic services to a third party, helping to reduce the time households spend on those activities. Through technology, its mission is to connect customers with people looking for cleaning or home maintenance work.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above), Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons), Care for people with illnesses, Domestic services, Labour saving solutions
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute