Dubai: House of Sorority, a lifeline for female expats seeking genuine friendship

In an effort to address the common struggle faced by many female expats in Dubai, Jai took matters into her own hands and founded House of Sorority. This thriving community has become a lifeline for women who left their comfort zone back home and are now seeking genuine connections and friendships in their new environment.

Jai's Journey

Jai, a 30-year-old interior designer originally from London, experienced the challenges of starting a new life in Dubai first-hand. Moving to the UAE a year ago, she left behind her family and friends, hoping to embark on an exciting adventure.

However, she quickly discovered that building meaningful connections and finding a community where she could truly belong was not an easy task.

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Driven by the desire to create a supportive network for female expats, Jai founded House of Sorority. Initially starting as a Facebook group, she invited women who shared similar experiences as newly-arrived expats to connect and meet up. Within just two weeks, the group garnered an impressive following of 600 women from diverse backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities, all seeking genuine connections and lifelong friendships.

Recognising the need for a more streamlined and efficient platform, Jai developed an exclusive app for House of Sorority members. The app allows users to create profiles that showcase their interests and backgrounds, similar to a friendship-oriented version of Tinder. With over 1300 members now on the database, House of Sorority has become a thriving community where like-minded women can connect and build lasting friendships.

Jai explained the user experience. "You can create your own profile, upload your pictures, and even select your favourite cuisine of food. You can even search for friends who have similar interests," she said.

Testimonials

We had the opportunity to speak with three members of House of Sorority who shared their experiences and insights.

Alaina, a 23-year-old freelance content creator and marketer from London, joined House of Sorority after attending a few events. She described the community as a place filled with positive energy, where she has been able to meet trustworthy friends she can depend on.

Alaina shared a personal experience where she was involved in a car accident and had to be hospitalised. Five girls from House of Sorority, including Jai, came to visit her, providing a sense of assurance and support during a difficult time.

“At first you would think it’s just for fun and good times, but after that time it was very reassuring for me that I found true connections with these girls,” Alaina told the Khaleej Times.

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