Expat Develops App to Sustain Friendships After 33 Years in UAE

Jul 28, 2026

88 min

Jul 28, 2026 03:31

After 33 years in UAE, expat creates app to keep fire of friendship burning: ‘Nobody forgets their best friend'

## A New App for Friendship

After spending over three decades in the UAE, Sahil Hameed, now based in Toronto, has developed an app called Ember to help people maintain their friendships. Inspired by the metaphor of a campfire, Ember aims to keep the warmth of relationships alive, even when life gets busy.

## The Inspiration Behind Ember

Hameed's motivation came from personal experiences of losing touch with friends. He realized the importance of staying connected and wanted to create a tool that would help others avoid the same fate. The app is designed to be a gentle reminder, not an obligation, to reach out to loved ones.

## How Ember Works

Ember allows users to manually add friends and set reminders for when to reconnect. The app visually represents friendships as embers around a campfire, which glow or dim based on recent interactions. It encourages users to notice and act on these changes without feeling pressured.

## Privacy and Simplicity

Ember prioritizes user privacy by not tracking messages or calls. It operates without collecting data, ensuring that personal relationships remain private. The app's design reflects a simple, non-intrusive approach to maintaining connections.

## Addressing the "Mountain" of Reaching Out

Hameed acknowledges the difficulty of reaching out after a long silence, describing it as a "mountain" of hesitation. Ember aims to reduce this barrier by providing subtle nudges to reconnect before the silence becomes overwhelming.

## A Focus on Meaningful Interactions

The app encourages users to log interactions manually, emphasizing the importance of noticing and valuing each connection. This approach contrasts with automated systems, which Hameed believes could diminish the significance of relationships.

Ember is currently available on iOS, offering a unique way to nurture friendships without turning them into chores.

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