Asele 2025 Year in Review: What We Built, What We Learned, and What's Next

2025 was a big year for us at Asele!

It was a year of rebuilding, listening closely to our users, and turning feedback into features that support women's health in a way that actually fits everyday life. From relaunching the app to growing our community and partnerships, a lot changed in a short time. Here's a look at what we worked on this year and where we're headed next.

Relaunching the Asele app

One of our biggest milestones this year was relaunching the Asele web app. The latest version is now live at asele.health and reflects multiple iterations based directly on user feedback. This relaunch was not just a visual update. It was about making the app more useful, more personal, and easier to stick with over time.

Cycle-based nutrition and exercise recommendations

We introduced cycle-based recommendations that adapt to where a user is in their menstrual cycle. On the nutrition side, users now receive meal suggestions for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, customizable by preference (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free), with both general meal ideas and Nigerian food options. During the menstrual phase, the app suggests iron-rich foods and drinks like zobo; during ovulation, meals that support higher energy levels.

On the exercise side, each phase includes beginner, intermediate, and advanced options. Higher-energy phases lean toward cardio and strength; lower-energy phases prioritize stretching, yoga, and recovery.

Daily tracking that fits real life

You can now log symptoms, mood, sleep, energy levels, and fitness data on a daily basis, including steps, calories burned, distance, duration, and activity type. The quick symptom log lets users select common symptoms like cramps, headaches, back pain, or fatigue without typing everything manually, and there's space to track emotional symptoms, cravings, hot flashes, dizziness, and more. In 2026, we plan to sync this data with wearables.

Journaling, tasks, and daily overviews

The app includes a daily journal for thoughts, reflections, or symptoms not already listed, plus a simple task section that works like a built-in to-do list. Each day includes an overview showing completed tasks, journal entries, logged symptoms, mood, and cycle information in one place.

Smarter calendar and cycle insights

The calendar view gives a quick snapshot of daily insights, including cycle phase, fertility window, upcoming periods, and what a day might be best for. We're working on calendar syncing so users can connect Asele to tools like Google Calendar. The cycle insights section explains what's happening hormonally in each phase and offers practical tips on movement, nutrition, and productivity.

Birth control tracking that actually makes sense

Users can log the type of birth control they're using, how long they've been on it, and receive daily reminders. Unlike simple reminders, the app lets users log when they've taken their pill, track streaks, and see a clear history over time, with helpful context like withdrawal bleeding expectations for combined pill users.

Meet the Amara Health Assistant

This year, we launched the Amara Health Assistant, our AI-powered health assistant available in English, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Swahili, and French. Users can ask questions about menstrual health, pregnancy, nutrition for African women, traditional foods, mental wellness, stress management, and natural pain remedies, with responses in the selected language.

Preventive health assessments

The app asks questions such as when users last had a Pap smear, whether they perform breast self-exams, track blood pressure, or regularly track their cycle. Based on responses, users receive a simple educational health score and guidance on what to follow up on next. This assessment is for education and awareness and does not replace professional medical advice.

Trends, insights, and better conversations with doctors

The wellness and trends section brings everything together. Users can view mood, energy, sleep, symptoms, cravings, fitness, and cycle data across time, highlighting patterns like recurring low mood during certain phases, so healthcare conversations can be more productive with concrete data to share.

Community, challenges, and support

We continued growing our community both inside the app and on WhatsApp, with fitness challenges and daily step counts. Inside the app, an anonymous community space lets users share experiences and ask questions without fear of being identified. Privacy and encryption are central to how this space works.

Content, podcast, and store

The Blush & Bloom podcast is fully integrated into the app, and we updated the website with educational blogs. Our online store, linked within the app, offers period care kits and other essentials, designed with care and feedback from our community to make care more accessible both digitally and offline.

Partnerships and programs

This year we formed new partnerships with Infinity Innovations, Mariam Grey Pharmacy, and Jahsiri, alongside ongoing collaboration with One Voice Initiative. We completed the Africa Innovation Fellowship and joined the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative as part of Cohort 8, and Asele was featured on Women of Wearables. We also presented a poster, "Localizing Cycle-Aware AI Nutrition and Productivity Guidance for African Women," at the AI in Health Conference hosted by Makerere AI Health Lab.

Looking ahead to 2026

As we move into 2026, our focus is on building thoughtfully. We're preparing to officially launch the Asele app on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, expand access to consultations with medical professionals, integrate wearables, and continue growing our community. We're also working on an ebook for younger girls to help them understand their periods and health early.

Most importantly, we'll keep building alongside our users, listening closely, and improving what we already have. Thank you to everyone who tested the app, shared feedback, joined challenges, and supported Asele this year. We're carrying all of this into 2026 with clarity, intention, and excitement for what's ahead!