1. Introduction
The Harlin Foundation (referred to as "the Foundation," "we," "us," or "our") is a charitable organization registered with the Office of the Registrar of Companies in Ghana under registration number CG005190125. Our registered office is located at UNN Hse, Gbawe Lafa near CBG Bank, New Gbawe, Ga South, Greater Accra, Ghana.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website, make donations, create an account, or interact with our services. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with transparency and care.
For any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, you may contact us at harlinfoundation@gmail.com or by phone at +233 24 440 4440.
2. Information We Collect
We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:
- Make a donation (one-time or recurring)
- Create an account on our website
- Sign up for our newsletter or updates
- Register for events or volunteer opportunities
- Contact us with inquiries or support requests
- Apply for scholarships or programs
The types of personal information we may collect include:
- Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address
- Payment information (processed by third-party payment processors)
- Donation history and preferences
- Communication preferences
- Account login credentials
- Any other information you choose to provide
We also automatically collect certain information when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, pages visited, and referring URLs through cookies and similar tracking technologies.
3. How We Use Your Information
- Process and acknowledge donations, including providing tax receipts
- Manage your account and provide customer support
- Communicate with you about our programs, events, and impact
- Send you newsletters and updates you have subscribed to
- Improve our website, services, and user experience
- Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
- Prevent fraud and ensure the security of our services
- Analyze usage patterns to enhance our outreach effectiveness
4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR Compliance)
For individuals located in the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area, we process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:
- Consent: Where you have given explicit consent for specific processing activities
- Contractual Necessity: Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you
- Legal Obligation: Where we need to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation
- Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided such interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms
5. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
- Service Providers: We engage trusted third-party service providers to assist with payment processing, email communications, website hosting, and analytics. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and may only use it for the purposes specified by us.
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.
- Protection of Rights: We may disclose information when necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of the Foundation, our supporters, or others.
- With Your Consent: We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent.
6. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption, access controls, regular security assessments, and secure data storage practices.
While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you provide your information at your own risk.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Generally, we retain donation records for a minimum of seven years to comply with tax and audit requirements.
If you have an account with us, we retain your information until you request account deletion or after a period of inactivity, after which we may anonymize or delete your information.
8. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Right to Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Right to Erasure: You have the right to request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions.
- Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we limit the processing of your information in certain circumstances.
- Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used format.
- Right to Object: You have the right to object to the processing of your information for direct marketing purposes.
- Right to Withdraw Consent: If we rely on your consent for processing, you may withdraw it at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at harlinfoundation@gmail.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in your jurisdiction.
9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us understand how you use our site and enable certain functionality.
Types of cookies we use:
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function properly, such as for security and accessibility.
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website through tools like Google Analytics.
- Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences for a better experience.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.
10. Children's Privacy
Our services are not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will take steps to delete such information.
For children between 13 and 18 years of age, we require parental or guardian consent before collecting any personal information.
11. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
12. International Data Transfers
As a foundation operating internationally, your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers, including standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission, to protect your information.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.
14. Contact Information
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
By Mail:
Harlin Foundation, UNN Hse, Gbawe Lafa near CBG Bank, New Gbawe, Ga South, Greater Accra, Ghana
By Email: harlinfoundation@gmail.com
By Phone: +233 24 440 4440