Rwandan Ecommerce Startup Kasha Recieves $1M Funding to Expand

Rwandan start-up Kasha, an e-commerce platform that improves the access of women to genuine health, hygiene and self-care products, has increased the size of its Series A round to US$ 3 million after securing US$ 1 million funding from Swedish development finance institution Swedfund.

Kasha, launched in July 2016, offers products for menstrual care, contraception, pharmaceuticals and a variety of beauty products and delivers them confidentially to customers.

Using its website, mobile app, SMS shortcode or phone call, the start-up enables consumers to position orders for goods. A smartphone or internet connection is not needed, and it focuses on female empowerment and self-care.

Kasha, which expanded to Kenya last year, increased its Series A round this year and has already secured support from Finnfund and the International Development Finance Corporation of the United States, and has now added another development finance institution to its roster of investors following the completion of a cash infusion of US$ 1 million from Swedfund.

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The funding will allow Kasha to accelerate its growth and impact across Kenya and Rwanda, to enhance its platform and to support its expansion to other African countries.

“Kasha is thrilled to be able to partner with Swedfund, a purpose-driven investor with extensive experience investing in developing markets. We feel strong alignment with Swedfund in scaling Kasha to one day serve millions of women in Africa and beyond, ensuring that all women have the health and personal care products they need to live their best lives,” said Joanna Bichsel, Kasha’s founder and chief executive officer (CEO).

Swedfund CEO Maria Håkansson said that social stigma around sexual and reproductive health in Africa is very widespread, leading women not to have access to the right knowledge and healthy products to make health-related choices.

“Our investment aims to strengthen SRHR – the right to decide over one’s own body, sexuality and reproduction is fundamental for the work with human rights, and against discrimination,”she said.

“Kasha is a women-founded and women-led tech company that strives to make it easier for women, especially low-income women, to access genuine products and information for their health and personal care.”