Most of us approach a new year with shaky decisions or just plain hope to become better human beings. In all my years, I never met anyone who wasn’t wishing for some sort of progress in their lives, regardless of how perfect it all seemed. But New Year resolutions are a touchy subject for some, though, after years of giving up easily and too quickly.
But, hey, that’s the point. Resolutions are still cool and having one never hurts. Regardless of whether we keep at it or not, there’s no harm in trying. Having goals are forever in style and wanting the best for yourself will never go out of fashion. If you’re the type who needs the start of a new year to commit to being a better person, embrace it! Don’t let the party poopers knock you down. A New Year is indeed a new chance at life.
Whatever your New Year resolution, TRUE Africa’s got you! Here’s a list of web and mobile apps that can set you on the right course. And as an added bonus, they are all indigenous and proudly African!
If you’ve always wanted to get fit and make friends at the same time, Truppr is a godsend!
Truppr is a social app that provides a platform for vibrant fitness enthusiasts to organise or join in sports and fitness events with similar people around them. With the Truppr app and its community of fitness lovers counting on you to show up, it is kind of difficult to give up on your goal while having fun achieving it. You don’t have to be a professional to join in the games. It’s simple to use and a fun, healthy way to spend your day.
Truppr is available on iOS, Android, Windows and web. You really have no excuse for that muffin top in 2016. Next time you feel inspired, remember that fitness and a supportive community is only a click away.
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It’s never too late to learn a new language. If you’re like me, and think that it’s never going to happen for you, think again. It’s a new year! Anything can happen if you try hard enough.Àsà (meaning culture in Yoruba) has a collection of mobile apps for smartphones and tablets that combine features such as text, colourful graphics, voice, and games to help you learn about local culture and languages.
The lessons are delivered in a fun and easy to grasp way. Asa is available on iOS, Android and BlackBerry, with 10+ apps including Sango and his wife, Yoruba101, Igbo101, Oluronbi and aHausa.
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Everyone wants to kick ass in business. And 2016 is a great year to start making deliberate steps towards it. Mara Mentor was created with the aim of empowering Africans in their business endeavors.
It’s an online community that connects entrepreneurs with experienced business leaders from around the continent – Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Nigeria. If you’ve got the resolution to handle your business better, Mara Mentor is a pretty good place to start. With iOS, Android, Blackberry and a web app, it is literally available at your fingertips.
So the next time you’re stuck on a career decision or need negotiation or pro networking tips, log into Mara Mentors and get answers from the people who have it.
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Recipes From Nigeria is one of the better Nigerian cooking apps. The app consists of a variety of dishes, local and continental. From Banga (Ofe Akwu), Nsala and bitter leaf soup to Edikang Ikong, their collection gives the average lady (or guy) enough magic to make things happen.
With Recipes From Nigeria, we all have a fair chance of throwing down in the kitchen and serving meals worthy of compliments. The major advantage of this app is that a catalogue of food is downloaded with the application after installation. This makes it require minimal data and little dependence on internet connection.
You can become the sous chef you always wanted to be in 2016 with this handy app available on Android.
For those who want to save money even when they are spending (who doesn’t though), Save and Buy is home.
Save And Buy is a convenient and fun platform that allows you save towards buying the products you love. This web platform is a one-stop shop for aspirational buying.
You can pay in scheduled installments, save in groups with friends, and receive notifications with alerts on your progress. So next time you fall asleep dreaming of that Macbook Pro or iPhone 6 plus that you ‘need’ so bad, wake up and check out Save And Buy, and hope they’ve got it in stock!
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For those whose resolution is to learn new skills, Tuteria is the app for you. It’s currently only a web app, but it’s very essential. Tuteria connects you to people who live around you and can teach you the skills you need – whether you want to brush up on academic subjects like mathematics or the sciences or want to prepare for various professional exams like ICAN and GRE.
It also includes useful life skills like dance (some of us aren’t born with the rhythm), photography, swimming, programming, languages, bead-making and public speaking. You can also sign up as a tutor and earn extra cash!
The Tuteria portal is built on trust. They secure payments made till lessons paid for have been delivered, so no need to worry about being duped on this platform. Go into 2016 armed with all the skills you need, thanks to Tuteria!
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How embarrassing is it when you have absolutely nothing to contribute to the conversation going on around you? Maybe you’re an introvert or maybe you just need to read more about the current affairs, literature, politics and those other subjects people like to yap about.
Talking Bookz can help you out. Their large library of audiobooks includes over 3000 local and international bestsellers with unlimited downloads. Reading has never been easier. You can listen while you commute, clean your house, cook or even prepare to sleep – just press play and get smart with Talking Bookz.
Cheers to no more stilted conversations and blank stares in 2016. Go ye into life and conquer.
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We hope that this list helps transform your new year. Come on, stranger things have happened.