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
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
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
CACEH
Website: www.caceh.org.mx/
Headquarters: Mexico
Country of Operations: Mexico
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 51% owned by women, At least 30% of women in board of directors
About the organization: CACEH (Centro Nacional para la Capacitación Profesional y Liderazgo de las Empleadas del Hogar) is a Mexican non-profit organization founded and led by women who are former household workers. The organization promotes the professionalization of household workers and advocates for their rights.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve condition for domestic & care worker (e.g. apps that calculate decent remuneration), Awareness raising on the care economy through marketing, information campaigns & programmes that raise awareness & increase motivation
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward
Corporación Unión Cristal – IMA Limpia
Website: imalimpia.com
Headquarters: Colombia
Country of Operations: Colombia
Women owned / led: At least 30% women in senior leadership positions, At least 30% of women in board of directors
About the organization: IMA Limpia is a social enterprise administratively and operationally led by women who have served as domestic workers, perform cleaning, care, cooking, and washing jobs. These women are certified in the professionalization of domestic service and have access to social security and other benefits that improve their lives. Their priority is the human being, both within the organization and abroad, seeking a warm, responsible, and reliable service.
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), Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above), Domestic services, Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve condition for domestic & care worker (e.g. apps that calculate decent remuneration), Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products (e.g. product that makes washing, cooking more efficient), Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reduce, Reward
Eau et Vie
Website: www.eauetvie.fr
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
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
HIPOCAMPUS
Website: www.hipocampus.mx
Headquarters: Mexico
Country of Operations: Mexico
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
About the organization: Hipocampus is a social enterprise that provides high-quality and affordable early childhood care and education for working families in Mexico. Hipocampus partners with employers to provide on-site childcare services fully aligned with parents´ needs. With a B2B business and distribution model, Hipocampus operates under a community-centered approach (ie. providing opportunities to educators-mostly women- from the same communities where the centers operate.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reduce, Redistribute
Homely
Website: www.homely.mx
Headquarters: Mexico
Country of Operations: Mexico
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 51% owned by women, At least 30% of women in board of directors
About the organization: Homely is a digital platform that connects clients with a trusted cleaning professional for their home or office more easily, quickly, and securely. Employees can choose to provide hourly or fixed contract work. In both cases, domestic workers receive all the legal and social benefits. Homely´s mission is to provide adequate tools for the economic independence of cleaners/keepers and continue expanding to other domestic and care jobs such as caregivers and nurses.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve condition for domestic & care worker (e.g. apps that calculate decent remuneration), Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products (e.g. product that makes washing, cooking more efficient), Awareness raising on the care economy through marketing, information campaigns & programmes that raise awareness & increase motivation
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute
I.A.B. – Institut Academic of Babies
Website: www.iab-afrique.com
Headquarters: Senegal
Country of Operations: Senegal
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: I.A.B is a social business that trains care workers in early childhood care. In Senegal, day care centers are not regulated and there is no school that is specifically focused on training related early childhood. As a result, children are less likely to go to nurseries. Through it’s training programs I.A.B has increased the skills of childcare workers, resulting in higher incomes for these workers. I.A.B’s impact includes improved health conditions among toddlers, decent work opportunties for care workers, and increased productivity of parents who are assured that the care and development of their children is in expert hands.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
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
Instituto de Promoción y Formación de Trabajadoras del Hogar IPROFOTH
Website: facebook.com/IprofothPeru
Headquarters: Peru
Country of Operations: Peru
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: IPROFOTH is a Peruvian organization made up and directed 100% by women domestic workers. They offer nursery services for caring for and stimulating children of care workers. The most vulnerable care and domestic workers, mostly migrant women, receive shelter services, training, job placement guidance, and labor rights protection. IPROFOTH’s main challenge is to raise awareness in the recognition and appreciation of the contribution made by women in the care economy. They seek to improve the quality of life of domestic workers, empowering them via good compensations, resilience strategies, and recognition of their contribution to the care economy. Iprofoth’s political action and articulation with civil society pushed the ratification of the International Labor Office’s Convention 189 and the approval of a new law for domestic workers in Peru.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve condition for domestic & care worker (e.g. apps that calculate decent remuneration), Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas), Awareness raising on the care economy through marketing, information campaigns & programmes that raise awareness & increase motivation
Pathway to impact: #N/A
Kiidu
Website: www.kiidu.com
Headquarters: Thailand
Country of Operations: Thailand
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions
About the organization: Kiidu’s model empowers domestic workers and care givers with jobs and helps parents find personnel such as nannies, tutors, maids, senior caregivers, nurses and drivers in Thailand. The solution has led to reduced care work through provision of domestic services. This for-profit company intends to expand its services to the Philippines.
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, Domestic services, Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reduce, Redistribute
OneSky
Website: www.onesky.org
Headquarters: United States of America
Country of Operations: Vietnam, China, Mongolia
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: Onesky is a non-profit that trains women operating daycares out of their homes in Vietnam’s industrial zones. These daycares serve children of women labouring in nearby factories who do not have access to quality care for their children. It empowers caregivers to establish a responsive relationship with children and create a safe and nurturing learning environment, thereby redistributing care and domestic work whereby young mothers leave their children in the care of onesky trainees to pursue employment or education. Onesky has trained over 75,984 caregivers and impacted 247,753 children.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 1 to 5)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward
Strong Start
Website: www.strongstart.co.ke
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
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
The Mother Goose Kenya
Website: themothergoosekenya.com
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
About the organization: The Mother Goose Kenya is a community-based organization (CBO) that focuses on helping communities improve the quality of child-care focusing on the following themes: empowering women and parents, parenting solutions and quality childcare solutions. The entity’s services reduce the burden of unpaid care work families through provision of domestic workers. Furthermore, the entity also empowers domestic workers by providing trainings and placements.
Stage of Growth: Established/Mature
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Redistribute, Redistribute, Reward
UGOGO
Website: ugogo.co
Headquarters: Argentina
Country of Operations: Argentina
Women owned / led: At least 30% women in senior leadership positions
About the organization: Ugogo is a technology-enabled home care provider that uses digital and artificial intelligence to improve elderly care services in Latam. Ugogo offers technology-based tools for patient history and personalized care plans drawn up by professionals, among others. They aim to change the care culture and raise awareness around caregivers’ burnout while improving the quality of life of the elderly and their families.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve condition for domestic & care worker (e.g. apps that calculate decent remuneration), Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reduce, Redistribute
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
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