Mohamed Dakkak.
I am the founder of Yovel. I am also legally blind, a refugee, a CIS student, a gamer, and a developer. Yovel is the app I needed for myself.
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Why Yovel exists
I rely on VoiceOver every day. It is how I read my phone, write code, message my friends, and use the apps I download from the App Store. Most apps I try are not built for me. Buttons with no labels. Controls that VoiceOver cannot see. Animations that do not stop when I turn on Reduce Motion. After years of fighting that, I decided to build the wellness app I always wished existed — one that works perfectly with a screen reader because it was designed by someone who depends on one.
Where I come from
I was born in Syria. When the war reached us, my family had to leave. We crossed the border into Turkey on foot, because that was the only way out. We spent three and a half years in Turkey before we were finally accepted to come to the United States as refugees.
When I arrived in America, I had to learn two new languages from zero. English, and Braille — the writing system blind people read with their fingertips. Learning one new language is hard at any age. Learning two, one of them with your hands, after losing your home, is something I do not have neat words for. I just kept going.
Where I am now
Today I live in Maine. I am a Computer Information Systems student at the University of Maine at Augusta. I love games. I love building. Yovel is my first published app, and the start of what I hope is a long line of products that take accessibility seriously without making it the only thing they are about.
What Yovel is, in one sentence
A quiet AI wellness companion for iPhone and Android — daily routines, mood reflections, voice-guided narration, context-aware suggestions, and full VoiceOver support — designed for people who want a steady hand on their day, not another app shouting at them.
What is next
After Yovel, I am building a game. A real game — with real challenge and real fun — that a blind person can play with the same enjoyment as a sighted person, side by side. The accessibility tools I am building for Yovel will carry into that next project. Same care, different shape.
Reach out
If you want to say hello, send feedback, or talk about a partnership, write to me directly. I read every email.
Email: [email protected]
Or use the contact form. Press inquiries welcome at the same address.