Last Updated: July 5, 2025 The Zijin Akyem Development Foundation (ZADeF) NGO is committed to protecting the privacy of its website visitors, donors, partners, and beneficiaries. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you interact with our website. By using the ZADF website, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect various types of information, including personal data, to support our mission and activities. The types of information we collect depend on how you interact with our website and services. a. Information You Voluntarily Provide:
  • Contact Information: Name, email address, postal address, phone number, and any other contact details you provide when filling out forms, subscribing to newsletters, or making inquiries.
  • Donation Information: When you donate, we collect your name, contact information, and payment details (processed securely by third-party payment processors – we do not store full credit card numbers on our servers).
  • Application Information: If you apply for a program, scholarship, or volunteer opportunity, we may collect information relevant to your application, such as educational background, work experience, and personal statements.
  • Correspondence: Information you provide when you communicate with us via email, contact forms, or other channels.
b. Information We Collect Automatically:
  • Website Usage Data: We collect information about your visit to our website, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referral source, pages visited, date and time of visit, and the duration of your visit. This data helps us understand how our website is used and how we can improve it.
  • Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons) to enhance your browsing experience, analyse website traffic, and personalise content. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings (see Section 5 below).

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
  • To Fulfil Our Mission: To implement and manage our development projects, programs, and initiatives in the Akyem area.
  • To Process Donations: Process and acknowledge donations, and maintain accurate records of our financial supporters.
  • To Communicate With You: To respond to your inquiries, provide updates on our work, send newsletters, and communicate about events, appeals, and opportunities to get involved.
  • To Improve Our Website and Services: To analyse website usage, troubleshoot technical issues, understand user preferences, and enhance the functionality and user experience of our website.
  • To Manage Applications: To review and process applications for programs, scholarships, and volunteer positions.
  • For Legal and Regulatory Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and reporting obligations.
  • For Security: To protect our website, data, and users from fraud, security threats, and unauthorized access.

3. How We Share Your Information

We are committed to keeping your personal information confidential. We will not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:
  • With Service Providers: We may engage trusted third-party service providers to assist us with website hosting, payment processing, email delivery, data analysis, and other operational tasks. These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes for which we disclose it to them.
  • For Legal Reasons: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court order or government agency request).
  • To Protect Our Rights: We may disclose information when we believe it is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of ZADF, our users, or others.
  • With Your Consent: We may share your information with third parties if we have obtained your explicit consent to do so.

4. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:
  • Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Technology: Our website uses SSL encryption to protect data transmitted between your browser and our server.
  • Access Controls: Limiting access to personal information to authorised personnel only.
  • Regular Security Reviews: Periodically reviewing our security practices to ensure they remain robust.
While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Cookies and Your Choices

A cookie is a small text file that a website saves on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site. a. How We Use Cookies:
  • Essential Cookies: These cookies are strictly necessary for the operation of our website and enable core functionalities.
  • Analytics Cookies: These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously.
  • Functionality Cookies: These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make (e.g., language preferences) and provide enhanced, more personalized features.
b. Your Cookie Choices: Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies or to notify you when a cookie is being placed. Please note that if you choose to disable cookies, some features of our website may not function properly. For more information about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

6. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites that are not operated by ZADF. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

7. Children’s Privacy

Our website is 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 that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will take steps to remove that information from our records.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:
  • Right to Access: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.
  • Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information we hold about you.
  • Right to Erasure ( “Right to be Forgotten”): In certain circumstances, you have the right to request the deletion of your personal information.
  • Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information in certain situations.
  • Right to Object to Processing: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain situations.
  • Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: If we are relying on your consent to process your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 10. We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will post any changes on this page and update the “Last Updated” date at the top of the policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please get in touch with us at: Zijin Akyem Development Foundation Post Office Box NH 33 New Abirem, Eastern Region, Ghana. +233 543 207 296 info@nakdefgh.com