In a recent exclusive interview with UWA’s CEO, Gasper Bizjak, and Executive Director, Fred Uduma, the creators of the UWA Social App delved into the app’s inception and its profound significance in diverse African cultures. Here are the key takeaways:
- Inspiration and Significance: The UWA Social App was born out of the realization that many countries, such as the USA, Europe, Russia, and China, have their own social media platforms, but Africa was lacking its own distinctive platform. The creators decided to develop a Pan-African social media platform, UWA, to capture Afrocentric expression, culture, and way of life, where content is created by people for people.
- Fostering Unity and Connectivity: UWA aims to contribute to a sense of unity and connectivity among Africans. It recognizes the universal need for community among Africans and offers a platform where people with similar interests can connect, grow, and thrive, both within Africa and the diaspora.
- Unique Features: UWA sets itself apart from other social media platforms with features like minimal data consumption, in-app music streaming, unconventional Umojis/stickers, and a user-friendly interface, making it simple and enjoyable to use.
- Inclusivity and Accessibility: UWA addresses cultural diversity and linguistic variations by allowing users to communicate in their native languages, including Pidgin-English. It accommodates text, video, and picture communication.
- Positive Impact: UWA has already made a positive impact by organizing competitions and contests that promote African cultures. Users from across the continent participated, showcasing the platform’s reach and effectiveness.
- Building Community and Engagement: UWA employs various strategies, including content challenges, contests, virtual events, and Q&A sessions, to foster a strong sense of community and engagement among its users.
- Data Privacy and Security: UWA prioritizes data security, encrypting data in transit and at rest. User privacy is maintained by hiding social feeds and chats from corporations, ensuring private conversations remain private.
- Personalization for Different Regions: UWA integrates major languages and allows users to communicate in their native or official language, ensuring a personalized user experience across diverse African regions.
- Expansion Plans: While UWA is expanding beyond Africa, the focus remains on Africa, particularly Nigeria, at this time.
- Long-Term Vision: The long-term vision for UWA is to become a household name throughout Africa and beyond. UWA aims to give social media back to the people, promote local talents, and celebrate Africa’s diversities and uniqueness.
UWA represents a movement that is reshaping the social media landscape in Africa, providing a platform for individuals, artists, musicians, developers, and enthusiasts to express themselves and connect in a way that celebrates Africa’s rich culture and heritage.
