RWANDA – The Swedish government development financier Swedfund is investing in Kasha Global, whose e-commerce platform offers women, primarily in Rwanda and Kenya, access to information about and buy contraceptives, menstrual and health care products both online and off-line.
The Chief Executive Officer of Swedfund Maria Hakansson said that “In Africa, it is quite common for sexual and reproductive health issues to be taboo and stigmatized. As a result, women often do not have access to correct information or have the opportunity to buy safe products. Our investment aims to strengthen SRHR – the right to decide over one’s own body, sexuality and reproduction is fundamental to the work with human rights and against discrimination. Kasha is a company whose business concept is based on making it easier, especially for women with low incomes, to find products and information designed for women’s health and personal care.
Kasha through its “Femtech” platform supports both off-line and online e-commerce, making it possible to buy the products digitally with any type of mobile phone, with or without Internet connection.
The range varies from HIV tests, menstrual protection, contraceptives and condoms to skin care products, which means that customers can completely confidentially buy goods that may be difficult to obtain or that you do not want others to know you need.
Impact issues are integrated into Kasha’s business model and are centred around three main areas: increased access to health care products, health information, as well as employment and improved livelihoods for low-income women.
Approximately 65% of the customers are women with low incomes in cities and in the countryside, who often find it difficult to obtain information and affordable products of good quality, linked to women’s health.
These customers are reached through their more than 200 trained female agents who often come from the low-income segment themselves.
The agents assist with information, take orders and deliver to the end consumer.
Swedfund’s financing will enable Kasha’s growth in Kenya and Rwanda, improve the digital platform and support the expansion to other African countries.
Swedfund continues to make investments in the healthcare sector, to strengthen gender equality and increase access to qualitative health care for all population groups.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to further increased need for private sector investment in developing countries.
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