The challenge of fulfilling family needs is often felt by housewives and thus requires them to take part in work which then provides roles and contributions in their efforts to satisfy family needs. This research was conducted in September-November 2017 in Sumber Sari Village, a chili-producing area in Babulu District, North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan Province. The unit of analysis of this study is households and the population is all chili farmer households. Using a purposive sampling technique, samples were taken as many as 38 housewives working as chili farmers. The research method employed a survey with a qualitative descriptive approach. Data collection was accomplished using interview techniques and documentation studies. The result of the study illustrates the housewives’ roles in the family as generally consisting of all domestic roles—except breastfeeding since all participants have no children under two years old—and public roles as chili farmers. The income earned from their public roles contribute an average of 40,06 percent to family income. The contribution significantly relates to the level of fulfillment of the family needs. Education, age and number of children are not significantly related to the amount of contribution. The theoretical contribution of this study to socio-economic researches is that the working hour approach that has been carried out so far to investigate women’s role and contribution to economy needs to be extended to clarify women’s economic activities by involving aspect of women’s financial contribution in the households.