London, December 2023
Time is a precious commodity, especially for rural women who spend long hours on household chores like cooking, fetching water, and tending to the home. The care economy, often overlooked, burdens women with unpaid domestic work that limits their participation in economic activities. Part of our mission is to reduce this workload through innovative, labour-saving products that give women back their time and improve their quality of life.
The Care Economy: An Invisible Burden
Globally, women perform the vast majority of unpaid care work. In rural Kenya, this means hours spent collecting firewood, cooking on inefficient stoves, and fetching water. These activities, essential for the household, steal time that could otherwise be spent on education, work, or simply resting. The traditional care economy, as it exists today, often goes unrecognised and unrewarded, as in the Western world, yet it forms the backbone of society and the economy.
At Bidhaa Sasa, we’re keen on changing that. By making time-saving products accessible and affordable, we’re not just providing products; we’re offering a pathway to more free time, economic opportunities, and ultimately, empowerment for rural women.
Products That Save Time (and Money)
Our product range—spanning solar lamps, LPG cylinders, improved cookstoves, and water tanks—has been chosen specifically to reduce the hours spent on household chores. For instance, our efficient cookstoves and LPG cylinders cut cooking time drastically, while water tanks eliminate the need for long trips to fetch water.
Through our model, which leverages group financing and mobile money payments, we’ve made these products accessible even to low-income households. Our customers pay in small, manageable installments, allowing them to enjoy the benefits immediately without needing a large upfront investment.
The Impact: More Time for What Matters
The result? Women are finding themselves with more time on their hands—time they can use to start small businesses, participate in community activities, or simply rest. Our customers have reported that the time saved by using our products translates to better health, improved well-being, and increased income opportunities. In many cases, this has also meant reduced indoor air pollution and a healthier home environment.
As one of our customers shared: “With my new cookstove, I can cook for my family in half the time it used to take me. Now, I use that extra time to sell vegetables in the market. It’s made a huge difference for us.”
Reducing the Care Burden
The products we offer may seem simple but they are fundamentally reshaping the care economy in rural Kenya. Every hour saved from household chores is an hour gained for something more valuable, be it generating income, educating children, or simply having time for oneself.
By reducing the care burden on women, we are opening up new possibilities for their participation in the economy. For many of our customers, the products we provide are the first steps toward a more balanced, more equal future—one where women are not tied to the endless cycle of domestic work but have the freedom to pursue their ambitions.
If interested, you can access the full case study here.