For the youth of today, having a smartphone is an integral part of maintaining a social life. Wouldn’t it be great if we can find the right app to connect us with the right group of people that fit our interests and who happen to be located in the same area, right? Due to slightly strict cultural definitions, this could seem like an unacceptable feat to accomplish. However, in Egypt, an app was developed to challenge, and even conform to these social boundaries. Frien10, developed in 2014, has become the newest and popular way to meet new people and make friends of the same interests as you! Its mission is “To make it easy and safe for anyone to find new friends who share the same interest to meet in real life.”
Real life and mobile technology? Seems contradictory, right? Actually, the idea behind this app is to bring these people together to meet in real life, essentially so as not to be confined to technology and virtual boundaries. In 2015, The app won first place in the United Nations Development Programme’s Egypt Social Entrepreneurship Competition. During the competition, Ahmed Pasha, CEO/Founder of Frien10, said that “Connecting with members of your community or building a social life sometimes requires coming out of your comfort zone and leaving cultural traditions behind.”
Frien10 has already connected people from various Egyptian universities, professions, and social and cultural backgrounds. The app, with its group-based platform, works on introducing the Arab culture with the idea that it’s ok to meet people outside your family and personal social network. According to Ahmed this change of mindset can be difficult, he believes that “trying to find someone in your community who shares common interests can be frustrating due to cultural reasons.”
So how does it conform to the social standards set by the Arab society? Frien10 has a ‘Ladies Night’ option, where females can meet exclusively and get to know one another. This app has become a great way to re-connect the generation of Egypt that has been actually disconnected by social technology.
Download the app and get to know more people outside of your smartphone because happiness is where great friends are!
Don’t forget to leave a smile 🙂
