Kasha, a Rwandan start-up, has massively invested in increasing accessibility to quality and affordable pharmaceuticals and consumer goods across Africa through a unique and reliable innovation codenamed the Last-Mile Distribution Model, Driving Digital Health reach since its launch in 2016.
Kasha is a business channel partner that leverages on its sales and last-mile distribution network, data analytics, and e-health services, and the company’s contribution in revolutionalising healthcare sector is recognised globally.
The company registered an online pharmacy, the first of its kind in the East African nation. Its unique digital distribution model has significantly improved access to pharmaceuticals and consumer goods through digital retail. This move has gone a long way in addressing the accessibility problem to quality and affordable healthcare services in particularly remote areas.
Joanna Bichsel, the Founder and CEO of Kasha, told Rwanda Dispatch that starting in Rwanda was a strategic choice, tapping into the country’s supportive business environment and robust innovation policies.
No wonder, Rwanda is deservingly the company’s biggest operations centre and market.
Over the years, Kasha has expanded its operations beyond Rwanda as it vehemently pursues its mission to increase accessibility to pharmaceuticals and consumer goods in the continent through the Last-Mile Distribution Model.
Established to provide reliable access to pharmaceuticals and consumer goods through digital retail, Kasha’s expansion into additional African markets enhances its technology and drives equitable access. The firm is particularly helping consumers, resellers, pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics easily access their professional and specialised services.
Kasha’s operation model became revolutionary, attracting more venture capital funds than any other start-up in Rwanda. The company has attracted many and diverse investors from across the globe, including Finnfund, Swedfund, DFC, Mastercard, and Sanofi.
From its Rwandan base, Kasha has expanded to seven countries, including Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda.
Bichsel emphasises that after successfully launching in several countries, there are plans to expand the company’s reach further into the continent and eastward in Asia, continuing the revolutionary model and aiming to become a global company.
Kasha’s services have expanded significantly since its inception. It now serves individual consumers, resellers, pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics with various products, from sanitary pads to medications and other fast-moving consumer goods.
Kasha’s operations were rolled out to all the districts across Rwanda through an agent network, mostly women (over 60%) and youth. This agent network model has created thousands of jobs for women as they serve as the primary agents representing the company at different outlets.
The company has chosen women as its target market, knowing that they are the most influential group in household and health products and the most underserved.
The Founder of Kasha further highlights that issues like the lack of laws on online pharmacy were some of the challenges they encountered, but in Rwanda, things can be done because swift decision-making allows progress.
Kasha uses its technology platform to provide customers with access to quality products in underserved areas in a customer-driven and data-driven manner. The company’s mission is to address persistent challenges in African health systems while creating local jobs and strengthening local health markets.
Additionally, Kasha has adopted a cashless payment system, ensuring that all transactions are digital, aligning with the Rwandan government’s goal of establishing a cashless economy.
The company’s other portfolios include training and raising awareness of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and hypertension. These efforts aim to make it easier for people, especially those in lower-income and rural areas, to access the medications they need. As a social enterprise, the company is committed to improving health accessibility for all.
Kasha’s dedication to expanding healthcare access, addressing NCDs, and offering consumer goods reflects its commitment to making a positive impact on communities. Innovation and modern tools are poised to make a meaningful difference in improving health outcomes for underserved populations. This holistic approach underscores the company’s role as a socially responsible enterprise dedicated to enhancing the well-being of individuals and communities.
