Confidential Order and Delivery of Contraceptives Using Mobile E-Commerce for Urban and Rural Areas of East Africa

Joanna Bichsel of Kasha in Rwanda will adapt their mobile ecommerce platform to enable women in Kenya to confidentially order health products such as contraceptives and sanitary pads by mobile phone. There are many social barriers preventing women in developing countries from accessing products at health clinics. Their platform, Kasha, requires only a mobile phone to order and pay for products that are then delivered to local pick-up points. They have successfully implemented Kasha in Rwanda and will now perform a pilot study in several counties in Kenya. They will customize the platform to the language and existing technology in Kenya, and develop private and public partnerships to tap into existing distribution networks, thereby minimizing costs. Their pilot study will evaluate how well the platform is received by Kenyan women, and how effective it is at delivering products.