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
Happy Helpers
Website: happyhelpers.ph
Headquarters: Philippines
Country of Operations: Philippines
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: Happy Helpers is a for-profit, women-led enteprise that provides domestic cleaning services to households and companies in Manila, Philippinnes. These services are provided through a team of locally trained and hired domestic workers. The service provided by Happy Helpers reduces the time spent by women on cleaning at home. It also increase recognition of work done by domestic workers. Happy Helpers has led to increase in income, skills and efficiency among domestic workers.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Reward
Hasu
Website: hasuapp.vn/tam-nhin-su-menh-hasu
Headquarters: Vietnam
Country of Operations: Vietnam
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: Hasu is a for-profit start-up in Vietnam that caters to the physical, mental and emotional needs of elderly. Through the app, Hasu aims to aggregate the various services that are required by elderly people. It services include nursing, nutrition, games and exercises. The business contributes to the redistribution and reduction of care work within households, as well as greater digital awareness and technology use amongst the elderly.
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 affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Redistribute
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
Homsy
Website: homsy.com.co
Headquarters: Colombia
Country of Operations: Colombia
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Homsy is an icon of trust regarding home and vehicle care in Colombia. The company offers a variety of cleaning and disinfecting services, among others, which are performed by hired professionals who love to create lasting relationships and transform environments.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: 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)
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Reward
Isla Urbana
Website: islaurbana.org
Headquarters: Mexico
Country of Operations: Mexico
Women owned / led: Information not available
About the organization: Isla Urbana is a company that strives to make rainwater harvesting an autonomous, sustainable, and resilient alternative for the water supply of the most vulnerable. Its principal goal is to promote sustainable development in water based on rainwater harvesting. Isla Urbana’s main challenge is to create solutions to reduce the amount of time spent on care and domestic work. Its main motivation is that their country (Mexico) is going through a water crisis and millions of people lack dignified and safe access to this service.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: 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)
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Jazza Centre Limited
Website: www.jazzacentre.com
Headquarters: Kenya
Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Jazza Centre is a for-profit social enterprise that trains and places domestic workers in Kenya. The enterprise formalizes the employment process for domestic workers by ensuring that domestic workers and employers sign employment contracts. Jazza Centre increases recognition and reward for domestic workers by negotiating fair terms of employment and skill development. It reduces the burden of care work in households through provision of trained domestic workers.
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), Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve conditions for domestic & care worker
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute
Kanguritos
Website: kanguritos.co
Headquarters: Colombia
Country of Operations: Colombia
Women owned / led: Kanguritos is an education and care agency that offers teachers at home able to tailor children’s and parents’ educational needs reliably and safely to contribute to kids’ development. Kanguritos focuses on 0-7 years old children for whom they have developed innovative tools, such as the “neurolab kits,” a toolbox with a pedagogical approach that seeks to strengthen the basic and essential elements for children’s learning.
About the organization: Kanguritos is an education and care agency that offers teachers at home able to tailor children’s and parents’ educational needs reliably and safely to contribute to kids’ development. Kanguritos focuses on 0-7 years old children for whom they have developed innovative tools, such as the “neurolab kits,” a toolbox with a pedagogical approach that seeks to strengthen the basic and essential elements for children’s learning.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Redistribute
Kiddocare Sdn Bhd
Website: kiddocare.my
Headquarters: Malaysia
Country of Operations: Malaysia
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Kiddocare is an on-demand babysitting platform in Malaysia. It conveniently connects parents with trained and vetted Malaysian babysitters based on their preferred time and location. The for-profit company reduces the burden of care work by providing affordable and standardized home-care services.
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)
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: Reduce, Reward
Kidogo
Website: www.kidogo.co
Headquarters: Kenya
Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Kidogo is a non-profit social enterprise that improves access to high-quality, affordable early childhood care & education in Kenya’s low-income communities. Kidogo supports women entrepreneurs to initiate or improve the quality of their own, community-based childcare micro-businesses. Kidogo reduces care work as parents have access to quality childcare service at the centres. 82% of Kidogo kids hit developmental goals. Kidogo kids receive health and nutrition interventions, that have also led to a 41% reduction in stunting.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute
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
Komodo Water
Website: www.komodowater.org
Headquarters: Indonesia
Country of Operations: Indonesia
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 51% women-owned, At least 30% of women in senior leadership
About the organization: Komodo is a for-profit entity that provides clean and affordable drinking water in villages of Indonesia. The entity’s services reduces the time spent on collecting clean water in rural regions.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products
Pathway to impact: Redistribute, Reduce
Koola Waters
Website: koolawaters.co.ke
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
La Lavanderie
Headquarters: Colombia
Country of Operations: Colombia
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
![](https://www.the-care-economy-knowledge-hub.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/La-Lavanderie.jpg")
About the organization: La Lavanderie is a digital laundry service company that operates through its app to facilitate washing, drying, ironing, dry cleaning, and tailoring to its clients, all from their homes or office. “Launderers,” the trained staff in laundry services, pick up and deliver customers´ garments, and customers can pay in cash or by card.
Stage of Growth: Not available
Types of Services: Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products (e.g. product that makes washing, cooking more efficient)
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Redistribute
LavanderiApp
Website: www.lavanderiapp.io
Headquarters: Mexico
Country of Operations: Mexico
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: LavanderiApp is a platform of high social impact that generates sources of self-employment for women through the provision of laundry services. It aims to reduce the amount of time spent on domestic services and to provide flexible jobs for women. They plan to expand through Latin America and to become a flexible and marked-based solution for both employees and clients.
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 that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers)
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Lavapp
Website: www.lavapp.me
Headquarters: Argentina
Country of Operations: Argentina, Mexico, Other Countries
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions
About the organization: Lavapp is the first App in Latin America that connects people with the best laundry stores in their neighborhood, allowing them to manage their orders from their smartphones without leaving their homes and with free delivery. Lavapp’s team’s goal is to become an economic alternative for thousands of people who need an additional income. They are addressing the challenge of the lack of affordable solutions to reduce the amount of time spent on care and domestic work, and the limited redistribution of care and domestic work to other actors in the care economy. The app has been recognized as a dignified and rewarding work tool that helped more than 100 families in 2020.
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 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)
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Redistribute
Lively Minds
Website: www.livelyminds.org
Headquarters: United Kingdom
Country of Operations: Ghana, Uganda
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Lively Minds is a non-profit entity that ensures that children in highly deprived communities in Ghana and Uganda receive quality education and care in their early years. Working through government, the Lively Minds programme builds the skills and confidence of marginalised, rural mothers to run educational Play Schemes, and provide nurturing care for their children at home. This improves the quality of life and life-chances for rural children, whilst empowering parents and communities.
Stage of Growth: Established/Mature
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Reduce
LivelyHoods Kenya
Website: www.livelyhoods.org
Headquarters: Kenya
Country of Operations: Kenya
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: Livelyhoods Kenya is a non-profit social enterprise that provides last-mile distribution of essential items in slum communities of Kenya. Livelyhoods Kenya trains women who work as sales agents in the community. Through its intervention, Livelyhoods has enabled women to purchase products that have reduced their care work, including cookstove and solar lights. Adoption of these products has reduced household expenditures and drudgery for women.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Domestic services, Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Reward
LivUp
Website: www.liv-up.cl
Headquarters: Chile
Country of Operations: Chile
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 51% owned by women
About the organization: LivUp is dedicated to prolonging and protecting the vitality of the elderly. This Chilean platform promotes prevention to decrease the need for intensive care. LiveUp is addressing the limited redistribution of care and domestic work and creating affordable solutions to reduce the amount of time spent on caring f and domestic work. Between 2018 and 2020, LivUp has impacted 97 families with the innovative figure of autonomy’s promoter and by employing people over their 50s.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
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), Awareness raising on the care economy through marketing, information campaigns & programmes that raise awareness & increase motivation
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Redistribute
mDoc Healthcare
Website: www.mymdoc.com
Headquarters: Nigeria
Country of Operations: Nigeria
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: mDoc is a digital health company focused on providing people living with chronic disease with 24/7 access to integrated care support in sub-Saharan Africa. This for-profit company reduces the time spent on care work by supporting people with illnesses to manage their health.
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
Pathway to impact: Reduce