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 www.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, along with a general overview of foods that support each phase of the cycle.

These recommendations are also customizable by preference, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options. We added both general meal ideas and Nigerian food options so recommendations feel culturally relevant.

For example, during the menstrual phase, the app suggests iron rich foods and drinks like zobo to support blood replenishment. During ovulation, recommendations shift toward 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 focused movement, while lower energy phases prioritize stretching, yoga, and recovery.

Daily Tracking That Fits Real Life

We spent a lot of time improving how users track their health without feeling overwhelmed.

You can now log symptoms, mood, sleep, energy levels, and fitness data on a daily basis.

This includes steps, calories burned, distance, duration, and activity type. One of the most used features is the quick symptom log, which allows users to quickly select common symptoms like cramps, headaches, back pain, or fatigue without having to type everything manually.

There is also space to track emotional symptoms, cravings, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, dizziness, and more.

In 2026, we plan to sync this data with wearables and devices that many users already use.

Journaling, Tasks, and Daily Overviews

The app includes a daily journal section where users can write thoughts, reflect on their day, or note symptoms that are not already listed.

I personally use this space to capture patterns I want to remember later.

We also introduced a simple task section that works like a built-in to-do list.

Tasks can be checked off daily, and 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 users a quick snapshot of daily insights, including cycle phase, fertility window, upcoming periods, and what kind of day it might be best for.

For example, ovulation days highlight suitability for social activities and important meetings.

We are currently working on calendar syncing so users can connect Asele to tools like Google Calendar to better plan work and personal commitments around their cycle.

The cycle insights section explains what is happening hormonally in each phase and offers practical tips on movement, nutrition, and productivity.

Birth Control Tracking That Actually Makes Sense

One feature users consistently tell us they appreciate is the birth control tracker.

Users can log the type of birth control they are using, how long they have been on it, and receive daily reminders.

Unlike simple reminders, the app allows users to log when they have taken their pill, track streaks, and see a clear history over time.

For combined pill users, the app also shares helpful context, such as withdrawal bleeding expectations and reminders to take pills at the same time each day.

This creates a clear and reassuring overview that many users say they have not seen in other apps.

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.

Responses are provided in the selected language, making information more accessible and culturally grounded.

Preventive Health Assessments

Another feature we are especially proud of is the preventive health assessment.

The app asks questions such as when users last had a Pap smear, whether they perform breast self exams, track blood pressure, engage in weight bearing exercise, 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 designed for education and awareness and does not replace professional medical advice. The goal is to help women have more informed conversations with healthcare professionals and encourage preventive care.

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.

The trends view highlights patterns such as recurring low mood during certain phases or frequent symptoms that may need attention.

These insights are designed to make healthcare conversations more productive by giving users concrete data they can share with medical professionals.

Community, Challenges, and Support

We continued growing our community both inside the app and on WhatsApp. Users can participate in fitness challenges, share daily step counts, and support one another.

Inside the app, we offer an anonymous community space where users can share experiences, ask questions, and follow cycle specific prompts without fear of being identified.

Privacy and encryption are central to how this space works.

Content, Podcast, and Store

The Blush and Bloom podcast is fully integrated into the app, making it easy to listen to episodes featuring founders, healthcare professionals, investors, and women building solutions for women’s health.

We also updated the Asele website with educational blogs covering topics like Pap smears, exercise myths, common health conditions affecting African women, and practical wellness questions.

Our online store is linked within the app, where users can explore period care kits and other offerings.

Building Beyond the App: Period Care Kits

We created and launched period care kits designed to support women with practical, everyday essentials. These kits were designed with care, intention, and feedback from our community, reflecting our belief that women’s health support should not stop at information alone.

The period care kits are part of our wider effort to make care more accessible, especially for women who may not always have consistent access to products or reliable health information.

They also complement the work we do through the app by meeting women where they are, both digitally and offline.

You can explore these kits through the Asele store, which is linked directly from the app and our website.

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 also completed the Africa Innovation Fellowship and joined the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative as part of Cohort 8.

These programs have played a big role in shaping how we think about sustainability, partnerships, and long term impact.

Asele was also featured on Women of Wearables, with another feature coming soon in 2026.

Taking Asele Into the Conversation

In 2025, Asele was not just evolving as a product. We also participated in broader conversations about women’s health, technology, and entrepreneurship.

We participated in the AI in Health Conference hosted by Makerere AI Health Lab, where we presented a poster titled “Localizing Cycle Aware AI Nutrition and Productivity Guidance for African Women.”

This allowed us to share why cycle-aware health tools need to be culturally grounded, how nutrition and productivity guidance should reflect local foods and lived experiences, and what responsible AI for African women can look like in practice.

We also hosted an online booth at the Pawenpreneur Awards, connecting with founders and women building businesses across different sectors.

These conversations reinforced how closely women’s health, access, and entrepreneurship are connected.

Looking Ahead to 2026

As we move into 2026, our focus is on building thoughtfully and continuing the work we started this year.

We are 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 user base and community.

We are also working on an ebook for younger girls, designed to help them better understand their periods and overall health. This guide is part of our commitment to early education and ensuring girls have clear, trustworthy information before confusion, fear, or misinformation sets in.

Most importantly, we will keep building alongside our users, listening closely, and improving what we already have.

Below is a photo of me, Ken (our CTO), and Queen (our Community Manager) at Asele.

Every decision we make is shaped by care, feedback, and a shared belief that women deserve health tools that reflect their real lives.

Thank you to everyone who tested the app, shared feedback, joined challenges, participated in conversations, and supported Asele this year.

We’re carrying all of this into 2026 with clarity, intention, and excitement for what’s ahead!