Finding a life partner or lover has evolved tremendously across generations and centuries.
Often people have to find love by meeting face to face with potential suitors.
But with the emergence of digital media platforms finding love has taken a whole new format.
In South Africa, a social media personality launched a hashtag called #Umjolowithazola to help people find lovers.
The hashtag trends “every Sunday from morning till late and it’s a platform for everyone who is genuinely seeking partners,” the originator, Azola Mlota told Africa Feeds.
What twitter users do is simply by “posting their picture(s) with the hashtag” and then Azola will retweet to his large over 130,000 followers for more visibility.
Azola said he was “inspired by one of my social media friends, Thabo Makaota who saw how active and responsive my Twitter friends are on topics I post.
I actually liked the idea and decided to bring it to life. Some South Africans are really in need of genuine love, judging by the everyday DMs I receive of people asking me to hook them up to their ideal partners.”
The train of love is here!! Dont let it miss u this time around. #Umjolowithazola pic.twitter.com/ZUg9ni3VOV
— Azola Mlota (@mlota_azola) September 8, 2019
Risk of finding love online
Finding a lover online can be risky. Often people hardly get to know much about potential suitors.
In some instances people get duped and their private information stolen. Azola says his #Umjolowithazola twitter hashtag helps to quickly verify people willing to date other users.
“Other dating sites have limited information about the person you’re talking to. Verifying their identity often proves unsuccessful.
Furthermore, it’s an uncontrolled environment such that the participants in relationships join in too and use the guise of looking for a relationship to get what they want.
#UmjoloWithAzola happens on the Timeline with accounts that are easily verifiable based on their timelines and people they interact with”, Azola said.
Hoping to find future husbae ??#uMjoloWithAzola pic.twitter.com/1AOB9IGSS8
— Mmabatho not Mabatho!! (@Mmabatho101) September 22, 2019
#umjolowithazola looking for someone around eastern cape, or KZN, Xhosa or ZULU girl plzzzzzz ???? pic.twitter.com/dspjklxeBL
— THE_REAL_MR_CEO (@THEREALMRCEO1) September 21, 2019
I just want to be loved and taken care of ? pic.twitter.com/cEkSFaGYwo
— Neelo ? (@_Strange_muffin) September 22, 2019
I’m ready to be someone’s Ride or Die
Hopefully by the end of today I’ll be someone’s ? ??????#uMjoloWithAzola pic.twitter.com/Pu5tb9jEeS
— ?Coach Y a n d i☘️?????????????? (@Yandi_Sompali) September 22, 2019
Finding My 1 True Love has proven to be tougher than I thought.#uMjoloWithAzola pic.twitter.com/1NGOAmlaRp
— Mαвує Lєвσgαиg (@LebogangMabye) September 25, 2019
Telecommunication Giant MTN is giving Azola’s initiative a helping hand by giving users data rather for using the hashtag something that doesn’t happen with other dating sites.
Success stories
The impact has been great according to Azola who shared some impactful stories with Africa Feeds.
“A Twitter user whose name is Luzuko from Port Elizabeth sent me a DM expressing his deepest gratitude on finding a lady on the tag, where they even went on dates at Sun City”, he said.
But Azola’s favourite “story is from a couple based in Kwazulu Natal, Amanda Pahla and partner, Dimakatso.
The guy saw her picture on the hashtag, to their surprise during their conversation on the DM they found out that they both resided in Midrand hence that created more eagerness and so they eventually met.
The guy is actually younger than the lady but because the magic was so real it certainly didn’t stop the lady from dating him. They haven’t stopped thanking my hashtag.”
Social media has come to stay and continues to form a critical part of people’s social life.
Azola’s #UmjoloWithAzola hashtag for finding love could be the saviour for many South Africans in dire need of a life partner.
Source: Africafeeds.com