Find your people.
Keep your roots.
Beles is the dating and community app made for Tigrayans at home and across the Habesha diaspora, where a Shmagele can still vouch for you and nobody has to explain what Ashenda is.
- 18+ only
- Vouched by real people
- Free while we grow
Aunt Letebrhan says
“Serious, kind, keeps her family close. I've been telling her about you for a year.”
Members from
- Washington, DC
- Dallas
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- Seattle
- Toronto
- Calgary
- London
- Frankfurt
- Stockholm
- Oslo
- Melbourne
- Mekelle
- Addis Ababa
The matchmaking your parents trusted, with the convenience they never had.
New to the idea? Read what a Shmagele is and what they can see.
- 01
Name your Shmagele
An aunt, an uncle, a family friend. You send them a private link. They confirm they know you and write a few honest words.
- 02
They vouch, and can suggest
Their note sits on your profile. When you want, give them a 24-hour link to look at a few people who fit you and suggest who you should meet.
- 03
You decide, both of you
Nothing happens unless you both say kemay. Your Shmagele never messages anyone, and nobody is told who was skipped.
Tradition, carried forward
Shmagele matching
A real person who knows you vouches for you, and can suggest who you should meet.
Just Friends mode
Not everyone wants to date. Switch modes and meet Tigrayans nearby with no pressure.
Community events
Festivals, mekete fundraisers, buna ceremonies and support circles in your city.
Crisis-aware safety
Community verification, quiet mode, and moderators who understand what people are carrying.
Shmagele suggested84% compatibleTsion, 27
Toronto · Family from Axum
Mainstream apps were never built for a scattered community.
No filters for Tigrayan identity or cultural background
Endless swiping that ignores traditional matchmaking
Nothing for community events or gatherings
No care for people living through a humanitarian crisis
Some of the best matches start over buna.
Members RSVP to real gatherings: festivals, mekete fundraisers, buna ceremony workshops and support circles.
“My parents met through a Shmagele. I trust that process more than swiping, but I also want the convenience of technology.”
2
vouches from matches makes you community-verified
24h
is how long a Shmagele's matchmaker link lasts
Small community. Serious about safety.
Adults only
Every profile has a date of birth. Under 18 cannot join.
Quiet mode
Hide yourself with one tap when life gets heavy. Come back when you're ready.
Block and report
Nothing you report is shared with the person. Moderators review every case and log every decision.
Your data stays yours
Private photos, no ads, no selling. Delete your account and it all goes with you.
Before you join
- Who is Beles for?
- Tigrayans at home and across the diaspora, and people close to the community. You must be 18 or older.
- Do I have to date?
- No. Just Friends mode is a separate deck with no romantic pressure. You can switch modes any time, and nobody sees the other one.
- What can my Shmagele see?
- Only what you let them. To vouch for you they see nothing but your name. If you give them a matchmaker link, it shows them up to ten people a day with a first name, age, city, roots, interests and one photo. Never a bio, never messages.
- Can I hide my profile for a while?
- Yes. Quiet mode takes you out of discovery instantly, and your matches can still reach you. You can also stop other members' Shmageles from seeing you, or delete your account for good.
- Is it free?
- Yes, while we grow with the community.
Kemey haderka?
Join the people already building something here. Free while we grow with the community.