Introduction

Utafiti Wellness Research Association ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, use our services, or interact with us.

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting personally identifiable information you may provide us through our digital platforms. This policy complies with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019, and other applicable data protection regulations.

Information We Collect

1. Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Register as a member, volunteer, or partner
• Make a donation
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Fill out contact forms
• Participate in our programs or events
• Apply for employment or volunteer opportunities

This information may include:

• Full name and contact details (email, phone, address)
• Demographic information (age, gender, location)
• Professional information (occupation, organization)
• Payment information for donations
• Health information (only when necessary for specific programs, with explicit consent)

2. Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing activities:

• IP address and device type
• Browser type and version
• Pages visited and time spent
• Referring website addresses
• Operating system information

3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Enhance user experience
• Analyze website traffic
• Remember user preferences
• Provide relevant content

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

1. With Your Consent

We will share your information with third parties when we have your explicit consent to do so.

2. Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or serving our users, provided they agree to keep this information confidential.

3. Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.

4. Research Partners

For research purposes, we may share anonymized and aggregated data with academic or research partners.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our security measures include:

• SSL encryption for data transmission
• Regular security assessments
• Access controls and authentication
• Secure data storage practices
• Employee training on data protection

While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted to our website.

Your Data Protection Rights

Under the Kenya Data Protection Act, you have the following rights:

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer at dpo@utafitiwellness.org.

Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Our retention periods are:

Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

For our youth programs, we collect minimal necessary information with parental consent and in compliance with child protection laws.

International Data Transfers

As a Kenyan organization serving primarily Kenyan communities, we process and store data within Kenya. In cases where data needs to be transferred internationally (e.g., for research collaborations), we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place as required by the Data Protection Act.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy regularly for any changes. Your continued use of our services after any modification indicates your acceptance of the updated policy.