Seychellois looking for romance now have a website aimed at connecting them with possible partners with the launch of bouldou.sc.
The matchmaking website is the first such service made available in the Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean.
“The aim of bouldou is to help the single adult over 18 years to connect with others through common interests, develop attractions and date online,” explained the founder, Betty Mondon.
The word bouldou is a local vernacular term to call a love interest, although initially, it meant a sweet dessert enjoyed in Seychelles.
Although it is mainly targeting Seychellois users, bouldou is available to adults all over the world.
“It is a platform for friends to come together and participate in various blogs. The main priority remains to find matches for the single adults who can eventually meet offline to proceed with what could lead to a serious consented and loving relationship,” said Mondon.
Although registration is free, users have to purchase a package to use the service.
“If you want to increase your popularity, send gifts and stickers then you will have to purchase online onto the platform for credits or a premium membership,” she added.
The site was officially launched on May 17 to coincide with World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.
It was to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide, said Mondon.
“We are living in a new normal. We know that the use of social media has been more apparent over the past year and with our need to stay connected and with the restrictions on groupings, how can people meet, date and get to know each other? That’s where bouldou comes in!” she added.
When the website was being tested, over 600 people started using it with 10-15 new users daily.
“But after completing the final stage of beta testing we had to reset the website anew. It has been three weeks anew now and we have just below 200 users with 6-10 new users daily signing up,” said Mondon.
The website has a small team working under slogans such as ‘nou metye se trouv lanmour’ or our work is to find love and ‘lanmour, konmans par pwente’ which translates into love, start by courting in order to help their clients find their right match.
“The hope is that Seychellois use this platform fully and respectfully. You often hear couples’ stories about how they met and I was always fascinated with couples who met on Facebook! I feel like many guys and girls are being let down on Facebook because it is not the ideal platform to seek a relationship,” said Mondon.
She said that someone may not want a person sending them a ‘Hi darling!’ every day, but everyone on bouldou will not be upset when they get a hi, how are you or do you want to chat?’ Because that is indeed the right platform.
As there might be users who may misuse the site, Mondon said “users are encouraged to read the terms and conditions and the privacy policy before signing up. Security is key and bouldou ensures ultimate security and confidentiality of its users’ documents.”
She also warned that adminstrators will be on the lookout to block fake accounts as well as delete obscene videos and photos on sight. Users themselves can either block such profiles and/or report to the page’s administrators.
As it builds its customer base, bouldou will introduce new features such as gifts for users to buy and have delivered to other users.
“Bouldou is still developing and will be adding features that enable even couples looking to better their relationships through counselling. The ultimate goal is to turn bouldou into a brand,” said Mondon.
Source: Seychelles News Agency