The makers of Guurdoon, the first app for singles in Somalia, are hoping to help their fellow citizens find love in a nation with no shortage of challenges. Guurdoon "seeking marriage" in English was launched in October last year by the Guryosamo family development centre, whose chairman Ahmed Abshir Geedi sees the app as a salve for some of the troubles facing the country since its descent into chaos. Guurdoon, he says, is not a dating app, but a marriage platform based on Islamic values and traditions in the predominantly Muslim country.
Geedi and his colleagues initially sought to focus their efforts on helping families pay for weddings, but soon realised that the compatibility issues troubling couples could not be solved with money.
The idea for the app emerged during discussions with religious leaders and community elders. Tens of thousands of people, including Somalis living overseas, have already signed up, Geedi said, with the surge of interest forcing the app's servers to crash in the early days. Users are asked to provide details about themselves to narrow down the search for a suitable partner. But both acknowledged that they were conscious of the stigma surrounding dating in the largely Muslim nation.
Adan said his mother mocked him when he told her he was using an app to find a wife. But online dating also offers women a measure of safety in a conservative country , the young nurse pointed out. Once you interact with someone online you can ask them all the questions you want and make sure they suit you before you even meet them," she said with a smile. Some Somalis have raised eyebrows, wondering if the app is in line with the Horn of Africa nation's traditional ethos.
The divorced father-of-two nonetheless subscribed to Guurdoon after his first marriage ended, and he said he hopes to find a second wife before long. But in the meantime, he will have to traverse the same tricky terrain as singletons everywhere. I think they are lying to attract a partner easily," he said. Welcome to Africanews Please select your experience. Watch Live.
