RWANDA – VestedWorld, an early-stage investor in businesses based in emerging markets has invested into Rwanda’s ecommerce startup specialized in women health and personal care products as it plans to enter Kenya.

The transaction whose details remains undisclosed, will also enable the firm to scale its operations in the Sub-Saharan region especially in the East and West African countries.

VestedWorld joins a list of other existing investors in the Chicago-based firm, including Mobius Motors and Umati Capital.

Last year, the firm received a US$150,000 investment from the Optimizer Foundation, a Sweden-based education and health-focused investor.

It also raised US$1.5 million from angel investors and venture capitalists in the US and Rwanda, enabling it to expand the scope of its operations in the country.

Kasha users access reproductive health and personal hygiene products via the platform, which are delivered to them discretely.

In December 2017, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provided the company with US$100,000 grant to launch a pilot of its business in Kenya starting last year.

Based in Kigali, Rwanda and founded in 2016 by two former Microsoft employees, Joanna Bichsel and Amanda Arch, Kasha is a mobile platform that provides access to products and information on women’s health.

The platform makes payment via mobile phone easy and delivers the products straight to the user’s door. According to the platform’s website, it seeks to address women’s unique needs.

The platform launched in Rwanda in 2016 selling sanitary pads, health and hygiene soaps and emergency contraceptives.

Given the regulatory concerns around these products, Kasha has partnered health practitioners and institutions such as Kipharma, Arbef, Unilever, Kepler and BK Tech House to carry out its services in Rwanda.

Kasha is also a social impact company empowering woman by hiring them as agents, who help fulfil orders in rural and low-income areas.