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

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16 listing found

AgeWatch Africa Foundation

Headquarters: Kenya

Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: Not women owned or led
For more information, download the full
business profile here

About the organization: AgeWatch Africa Foundation (AAF) is a non-profit social enterprise whose mission is to provide compassionate and high-quality care to the elderly in rural Kenya. AAF provides a variety of care services including home care, group day-care, palliative care and a full-service residential care facility. AAF’s customers include economically disadvantaged, those in poor health, people living with disability, and those living alone.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: 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: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Reduce, Redistribute

Arogga

Headquarters: Bangladesh

Country of Operations: Bangladesh
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Arogga is a a for-profit digital pharmacy and healthcare startup in Bangladesh. It has developed an app that enables patients to manage, order and track the delivery of medication and healthcare products in and around Dhaka. Arogga increases affordability and availability of medicines by buying in bulk and passing a percentage of the manufacturer’s discount to its customers. The platform also provides services such as doctor consultations, laboratory testing and insurance. Its services reduce the burden of unpaid care work involved in taking care of family members with chronic illnesses that require frequent follow-ups and medications. It enables customers to sources all prescribed medications from a single source.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: “Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons) Care for people with illnesses”
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Reduce

AYAT Care

Website: ayatcare.com
Headquarters: Bangladesh

Country of Operations: Bangladesh
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions
For more information, download the full
business profile here

About the organization: AYAT Care provides personnel for care services which are tailored to the needs of the care receiver and includes health monitoring, mental health support and medical advice, in addition to traditional care for children and the elderly. It makes professional care services available to its customers by providing training for its care-givers. It provides employment opportunities to mostly female youth, who have dropped out from school, while serving customers who find it difficult to find trained and dependable caregivers. Although profit oriented, AYAT care is not profitable yet. It plans to become profitable in the next 3 years.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: 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: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute

Brightgreen renewable energy

Headquarters: Kenya

Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Brightgreen Renewable Energy produces and distributes safe and smokeless charcoal made from recycled urban waste. This for-profit company is operational in Kenya. It delivers clean and sustainable energy to customers through B2B and B2B2C models. The company aims to reduce the costs associated with cooking by up to 50% and reduce the reliance of African households on wood fuel. This in turn reduces the drudgery associated with wood collection and cooking for many African women.
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

Eau et Vie

Headquarters: France

Country of Operations: Bangladesh, Philippines
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions, At least 30% of women in board of directors
For more information, download the full
business profile here

About the organization: Eau et Vie is a non-profit that develops water networks in slum areas to provide affordable and sustainable tap water at home. The organization is able to serve tap water in locations where operators of municipal systems are unable to reach. This enables time savings for women and reduces drudgery in accessing water from inconvenient locations. Furthermore, it not only promotes urban inclusion but also has impacts on aspects such as hygiene (personal and menstrual), fire-fighting, waste management and sanitation.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Domestic services, Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve conditions for domestic & care worker
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reduce

Folia Water

Headquarters: United States of America

Country of Operations: Bangladesh
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
For more information, download the full
business profile here

About the organization: Folia Water is a for-profit company. It provides affordable and effective water filtration systems to communities that lack access to safe and potable water. Its patented silver-infused filter papers kill bacteria and viruses and filter out dirt and larger parasites. Its water filteration systems reduce the drudgery in collecting water from inconvenient places, especially for women. Other associated impacts include reduced negative health impacts from unsafe water and associated time and capital costs for low-income households.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Domestic services, Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products
Pathway to impact: Reduce

HelloTask

Headquarters: Singapore

Country of Operations: Bangladesh
Women owned / led: None
For more information, download the full
business profile here

About the organization: HelloTask is a for-profit online platform that connects domestic workers to potential employers in Bangladesh. In developing countries, most care workers are not smartphone users, which has excluded them from digital opportunities. The company has built a technology that connects any mobile phone user to employers in real-time. Through its model, HelloTask improves access to opportunities for domestic workers.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute

Imvubu Projects Pty Ltd trading as Hippo Roller

Headquarters: South Africa

Country of Operations: Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and most sub-saharan African countries
Women owned / led: None
For more information, download the full
business profile here

 
About the organization: Imvubu Projects is a for-profit enterprise trading as Hippo roller. The rollers are an appropriate technology solution designed for tough rural conditions where access to water and water infrastructure is unstable. The rollers are used to transport more water using minimal effort. This reduces the care work undertaken mostly by women, children, and the elderly. Hippo roller’s capacity of 90 Liters provides adequate water for least 2 people to sustain themselves on a daily basis.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above), Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products
Pathway to impact: Reduce

Koola Waters

Headquarters: Kenya

Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Koola Water is a for-profit company that focuses on manufacturing, distribution, treatment and packaging of pure drinking water in Kenya. Its products reduce the time spent by women to obtain clean drinking water in rural areas of Kenya.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Domestic services, Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products
Pathway to impact: Reduce

Lovecare

Website: lovecare.id
Headquarters: Indonesia

Country of Operations: Indonesia
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions
For more information, download the full
business profile here

About the organization: Lovecare is for-profit entity that provides child and elderly care services in Vietnam through a care matching and reservation system that connects families and caregivers. It increases access to work for caregivers, thus rewarding their efforts. The services also increases access to quality of care service for families, which reduces time spent on care work.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: “Care for people with illnesses, Child-care (Ages 1 to 5)
Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above)”
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Redistribute

Moner Bondhu

Headquarters: Bangladesh

Country of Operations: Bangladesh
Women owned / led: Information not available
About the organization: Moner Bondhu is a platform to provide care for mental health and well-being service in Bangladesh. Moner Bondhu provides care services through accessible, affordable, convenient professional counselling. It draws recognition to the mental health issues faced by people.
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
Pathway to impact: Reduce

Strong Start

Headquarters: Kenya

Country of Operations: Kenya
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
For more information, download the full
business profile here

About the organization: Strong Start is a for-profit company that provides caregivers and domestic staff in Kenya with technical skills training in early childhood development, household management, self advocacy and job search training. It connects with caregivers and domestic staff through community micropods and blended trainings to support them in advancing their technical and advocacy skills at their workplaces. The enterprise has trained 144 caregivers via live blended trainings and worked with 634 caregivers in micropod & playgroup programs. The company’s services not only reduce the burden of care work but also upskill caregivers and domestic workers.
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), Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward

Through My Eyes

Headquarters: Kenya

Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions
For more information, download the full
business profile here

About the organization: Through My Eyes is a social enterprise that trains and accredits caregivers to serve children with special needs. Once caregivers have been contracted, they go through daily inspections to ensure they are presentable and in the most positive state of mind. The trainings are categorized according to the diagnosis and the specific needs of the children. Through My Eyes rewards the accredited caregivers with better placement opportunities on mastering the art of caregiving. The enterprise’s services reduce the burden of care work and improve skills of caregivers.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers
Pathway to impact: Reduce

USAFI GREEN ENERGY LIMITED

Headquarters: Kenya

Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: At least 51% owned by women
For more information, download the full
business profile here

 
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

Uthabiti Africa

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
For more information, download the full
business profile here

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

Wisdom Stoves

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