Meet Kidame Mart 

Kidame Mart is Ethiopia’s last mile distribution solution. We recruit female entrepreneurs at the “last mile” (most rural areas) to go door-to-door to sell high impact goods (soap, detergent, nutritionally fortified food, solar lamps, water filters) to their communities. Consider us the Ethiopian version of Avon/Amway, working to empower rural women to lift their communities out of poverty.

Kidame Mart agent selling laundry detergent and bar soap to her community during the local market day. "Kidame" in Amharic means "Saturday" so Kidame Mart is the saturday market where our women make sales! 

The 3-Part Problem 

There is a market of over 24 million rural Ethiopians at the bottom of the economic pyramid (earning $2-$4 per day) who have purchasing power but lack regular access to quality, impactful goods (soap, nutritionally fortified foods, improved toilets, solar lamps, clean cook stoves). Kidame Mart was founded to meet the needs of last mile consumers and addresses a three-part problem.

1. There are few economic opportunities for rural Ethiopian women making them extremely vulnerable. The 2019 Ethiopian Gender Diagnostic Report, published by the World Bank, found that despite significant national economic growth, women continue to face significant barriers in the workforce. Women experience high rates of unemployment (50 percent), seasonal employment (37 percent), and temporary employment (13 percent). Women are also less likely than men to be paid for their work. In addition, Ethiopian women face challenges in accessing formal credit. These challenges are amplified for women at the last mile who are unpaid for their household and agricultural labor. 

2. Rural Ethiopians (approximately 70% of the population) lack access to quality, affordable, and impactful products. On average, all products are between 50-75% more expensive when sold at the last mile as compared to urban areas. Even when products reach that last mile, in addition to being inconsistent in supply, they are substantially more expensive. For example, a bar of LifeBuoy antibacterial soap is sold for 10 birr in urban areas but 15 birr at the last mile of Ethiopia.

3. There are no manufacturers or distributors serving the last mile in Ethiopia. Approximately 70% of Ethiopians live in rural areas and lack access to information and credit facilities making it difficult for formal retail networks to develop. In addition, poor road conditions and expensive transportation deter distribution companies.

Our Solution 

Kidame Mart takes a private sector approach to empower local women to take the lead in solving development challenges for themselves, their families, and their communities. 

1. Kidame Mart supports women who lack formal employment opportunities (including single mothers and the illiterate) flexibility in their schedules as rural sales agents, thus enabling the most vulnerable women to become entrepreneurs in their communities. With the assistance of local women’s association offices, Kidame Mart identifies rural women and encourages them to become sales agents. These women are well connected within their community yet lack formal employment. By providing rural women an opportunity to develop into entrepreneurs, they in turn help tackle development challenges in their communities.

2. Kidame Mart sales agents provide regular access to high-impact goods that improve the nutrition and sanitation of their customers.  As Kidame Mart grows, agents will also be able to distribute even higher impact, durable goods like solar systems, clean cookstoves, and clean latrines. 

3. We aggregate products from multiple manufacturers and leverage large volumes for our innovative retail network to distribute. This allows for quality products to reach last mile consumers consistently at the same price as the cities. 

Road Map

Kidame Mart started in 2017 with 0 female entrepreneurs and currently, Kidame Mart is working in 52 rural towns through a network of 1,300 female entrepreneurs who reach 650,000 households. By 2022, Kidame Mart aims to create a sustainable business channel with 5,000 rural female entrepreneurs reaching 3.75 million consumers directly.

 Proven Impact 

In order to track impact, we have trained field leadership in survey and data collection and have thus found that over 90% of the female entrepreneurs use their increased income to improve health, nutrition, and education of their families and reinvest in their businesses. Since inception, Kidame Mart women's monthly income has increased on average by 40%.  As Kidame Mart reaches scale, agents will earn over $2 per day, increasing their income by 224% thus lifting them above the poverty line. 

To witness the impact, please watch our latest interview with a sales agent in Wilekte. 

Help Us Grow 

Please consider supporting our efforts to scale our numbers of female entrepreneurs. Your contribution will have a 3 part impact! 

For rural Ethiopians: Your contribution gives consumers at the last mile, living on the poverty line, consistent access to quality products at a lower cost allowing them to improved health and sanitation. 

For female entrepreneurs: Your contribution directly allows women to generate income and improve the living conditions of their families. 

For Ethiopia: Kidame Mart is proud to be Ethiopian and contribute to its development. Be a part of this change!  By supporting Kidame Mart, your contribution creates jobs and increases incomes thus directly supporting more economically productive and peaceful communities.  Help lay the the foundation necessary to build a thriving economy.