Maziwa: Enabling Workplace Breastfeeding for Kenyan Mothers

Maziwa is a Kenya-based social enterprise that aims to empower low-income mothers to be able to balance breastfeeding with work, ensuring both maternal and newborn health and economic well-being. To achieve this, Maziwa established a community breastfeeding ambassador (CBA) program to train women from local communities to provide education and lactation support to mothers. Maziwa also developed Wema, an affordable breast pump tailored to the needs of working women in Kenya, retailing it via multiple channels. Although the CBA program was primarily grant-funded, revenue from Wema helped cover overhead costs. Now, Jamal is considering expanding Maziwa's offerings to include maternal health-related products and launching a premium version of Wema. She also is considering separating the nonprofit CBA program from the for-profit pump business to align Maziwa better with different funding streams (grants versus investments). She also wondered whether Maziwa could leverage its market knowledge to position itself as a strategic partner for international organizations keen to enter the region. Through this case, students will learn about frameworks for product development, the diffusion of innovation, the product life cycle, and market segmentation and targeting. They will also explore go-to-market strategies, the role of ecosystem partnerships, and organizational structures for social enterprises to operate effectively in emerging markets.