Privacy Policy

1. About Safe and Seen Children Foundation

Organisation: Safe and Seen Children Foundation
CAC/IT/Reg. No.: 9565666
Website: https://safeandseenfoundation.org
Email: contact@safeandseenfoundation.org

Safe and Seen Children Foundation is responsible for determining how and why personal information collected through our activities is processed, where we act as a data controller under applicable data protection law.

For privacy-related questions, requests, or complaints, you may contact us at:
Email: contact@safeandseenfoundation.org

2. Information We Collect

The type of information we collect depends on how you interact with us.

2.1 Information you provide to us

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Contact us through our website
• Submit an enquiry or message
• Subscribe to communications from us
• Volunteer with the Foundation
• Apply to participate in a programme
• Register for an event
• Make or enquire about a donation
• Communicate with us by email
• Communicate with us through our social media platforms
• Participate in our activities, programmes, campaigns, or events
• Provide feedback or make a complaint

Depending on the circumstances, this information may include:

• Full name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Organisation or institution
• General location
• Information contained in your message or enquiry
• Volunteer or programme-related information
• Donation-related information
• Communication preferences
• Other information that you voluntarily provide

We ask that you do not provide sensitive personal information through a general contact form unless it is specifically requested and there is a lawful reason for us to collect it.

2.2 Information collected automatically

When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically by our hosting provider, security services, analytics tools, or other technologies used on the website.

This may include information such as:

• IP address
• Browser type
• Device type
• Operating system
• Date and time of access
• Pages visited
• Referring pages or websites
• Technical information relating to your connection
• Information relating to website performance and security

The information collected automatically is generally used to maintain, secure, operate, and improve the website.

3. How We Collect Personal Information

We may collect personal information directly from you or, where appropriate and lawful, from other sources.

Examples include:

• Information submitted through our website
• Information sent to our email address
• Information provided during registration for an event or programme
• Information provided during a volunteer application
• Information provided during a donation
• Information provided through social media
• Information provided by an authorised representative acting on your behalf
• Information generated through your use of our website

Where we obtain personal information from another source, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the information is obtained and processed lawfully.

4. Purposes for Which We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information for purposes including:

• Responding to enquiries
• Communicating with individuals who contact us
• Administering our programmes and activities
• Managing volunteers
• Organising events
• Processing and administering donations
• Sending newsletters and organisational updates where permitted
• Maintaining records
• Improving our website and services
• Monitoring website security
• Preventing fraud, abuse, or unlawful activity
• Managing complaints and requests
• Complying with legal and regulatory obligations
• Protecting the rights, safety, and property of the Foundation and others
• Carrying out our charitable and community-focused activities

We will not knowingly use personal information for a purpose that is incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected unless permitted or required by applicable law.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Where applicable, Safe and Seen will process personal information on a lawful basis recognised under Nigerian data protection law.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

• Consent: Where you have freely given consent for us to process your personal information for a specified purpose.
• Contractual necessity: Where processing is necessary to take steps at your request or to perform an agreement with you.
• Legal obligation: Where processing is necessary for us to comply with a legal or regulatory requirement.
• Legitimate interests: Where processing is necessary for a legitimate interest pursued by us or another party, provided that the processing does not override applicable rights and freedoms.
• Vital interests: Where processing is necessary to protect an individual's vital interests in circumstances permitted by law.
• Public interest: Where applicable and permitted under Nigerian law.

The particular lawful basis will depend on the nature and circumstances of the processing.

6. Consent

Where we rely on your consent to process personal information, consent will be requested in an appropriate manner.

You may withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before your consent was withdrawn.

Withdrawal of consent may, however, affect our ability to provide certain services or communications where the relevant processing is necessary for that purpose.

7. Children's Personal Information

Safe and Seen Children Foundation works to promote the safety, wellbeing, and development of children. We therefore recognise that children's personal information requires particular care and protection.

Where our programmes or activities involve collecting personal information relating to children, we will take appropriate measures to ensure that such information is processed lawfully and fairly and that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with the Child Rights Act 2003 and applicable laws.

Where consent or authorisation from a parent, guardian, or other legally authorised person is required, we will take appropriate steps to obtain it.

We will seek to collect only information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant programme, activity, safeguarding purpose, or service.

We will not knowingly encourage children to provide unnecessary personal information through our general website contact forms.

8. Photographs, Videos and Stories

As part of our charitable activities, events, campaigns, and programmes, Safe and Seen may collect photographs, videos, testimonials, stories, or other media.

Where individuals can be identified, we will take appropriate steps regarding consent, lawful processing, privacy, dignity, and safeguarding.

Particular care will be taken when collecting or publishing material involving children or vulnerable persons.

Where appropriate, we may use photographs or stories for purposes such as:

• Reporting on our activities
• Raising awareness
• Educational materials
• Fundraising
• Public awareness campaigns
• Social media
• Annual reports
• Our website and publications

If you have concerns about the use of an image, video, or story involving you or a child for whom you are legally responsible, please contact us at: contact@safeandseenfoundation.org

9. Donations and Payment Information

Where online donations are available, payments may be processed through third-party payment providers.

Depending on the payment method used, we may receive information such as:

• Donor name
• Email address
• Donation amount
• Transaction reference
• Date of transaction
• Payment status

Payment card details and other financial credentials may be processed directly by the relevant payment provider rather than stored by Safe and Seen.

We do not intend to collect or retain complete payment card information through our website unless expressly stated otherwise.

The processing of payment information by a third-party payment provider may also be governed by that provider's own privacy policy.

10. Communications and Newsletters

If you choose to subscribe to communications from Safe and Seen, we may use your contact information to send you:

• Newsletters
• Programme updates
• Campaign information
• Event information
• Organisational announcements
• Other communications relevant to our work

You may unsubscribe from non-essential communications at any time.

You can do this by using the unsubscribe option provided in the relevant communication or by contacting: contact@safeandseenfoundation.org

We will not continue sending marketing or promotional communications after a valid withdrawal of consent where consent is the applicable lawful basis.

11. Sharing Personal Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.

We may disclose personal information where reasonably necessary to:

• Service providers working on our behalf
• Website and technology providers
• Payment processors
• Email and communication providers
• Professional advisers
• Auditors
• Government authorities or regulators
• Law enforcement authorities where legally required
• Other parties where disclosure is necessary to protect the rights or safety of individuals
• Other parties where you have provided appropriate consent

Where a third party processes personal information on our behalf, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate data protection and confidentiality obligations apply.

12. Third-Party Service Providers

Our website may rely on third-party services to operate certain functions.

These may include providers for:

• Website hosting
• Website security
• Email
• Forms
• Analytics
• Payment processing
• Cloud storage
• Newsletter distribution

The specific providers used by the website may change over time.

Where a third party processes personal information independently, its own privacy policy may also apply.

13. Website Hosting

Our website is hosted using GitHub Pages.

Technical information associated with website access may be processed as part of the operation, security, and administration of the hosting service.

GitHub's own policies may apply to information processed through its services. Visitors should also review the relevant policies of GitHub where appropriate.

This Privacy Policy does not mean that Safe and Seen has access to every item of technical information that may be processed by our hosting provider.

14. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website may use cookies or similar technologies.

Cookies may be used for purposes including:

• Website functionality
• Security
• Remembering preferences
• Website performance
• Analytics
• Understanding how visitors use our website

Where non-essential cookies or tracking technologies are used, we will provide appropriate information and, where required, obtain the necessary consent.

You may also control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of the website.

15. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, destruction, or disclosure.

These measures may include:

• Access controls
• Restricted access to personal information
• Secure account credentials
• Appropriate technical safeguards
• Security monitoring
• Secure website hosting
• Internal procedures for handling personal information

However, no website, online service, electronic transmission, or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

If we become aware of a security incident involving personal information, we will assess the incident and take the steps required under applicable law.

16. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law.

The length of time we retain information may depend on:

• The nature of the information
• The purpose for which it was collected
• The nature of our relationship with you
• Legal and regulatory requirements
• Accounting and reporting obligations
• Safeguarding requirements
• The resolution of complaints or disputes

When personal information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to delete, destroy, or anonymise it.

17. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law and any lawful limitations, you may have rights concerning your personal information.

These may include the right to:

• Request access to personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Request erasure of personal information in appropriate circumstances
• Request restriction of certain processing
• Object to certain processing
• Withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis
• Request information about how your personal information is being processed
• Exercise applicable rights relating to data portability
• Object to certain automated decision-making where applicable
• Lodge a complaint concerning our processing of your personal information

The NDPC's own data-subject access process confirms rights relating to access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, withdrawal of consent, and objection, subject to the applicable requirements of the NDP Act.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to conditions, exemptions, or other legal requirements.

18. Making a Data Protection Request

If you wish to exercise a data protection right, please contact:
Safe and Seen Children Foundation
Email: contact@safeandseenfoundation.org

Please include:

• Your full name
• The nature of your request
• Relevant details that will help us identify the information concerned
• Any other information reasonably necessary to process the request

We may need to verify your identity before responding to certain requests. This is intended to prevent personal information from being disclosed to someone who is not authorised to receive it.

We will handle valid requests within the timeframe required by applicable law.

19. Accuracy of Personal Information

We rely on individuals to provide accurate and current information where they provide information directly to us.

If information you have provided changes or you believe information we hold about you is inaccurate, please contact us so that we can consider correcting it.

20. International Transfers

Some third-party technology or service providers may process or store personal information outside Nigeria.

Where personal information is transferred outside Nigeria, we will take appropriate steps required by applicable Nigerian data protection law to ensure that the transfer and subsequent processing are subject to appropriate safeguards.

21. Complaints

If you have concerns about how Safe and Seen Children Foundation has handled your personal information, we encourage you to contact us first.

Email: contact@safeandseenfoundation.org

We will review and respond to privacy complaints in accordance with our internal procedures and applicable legal requirements.

If you are not satisfied with our response, or where otherwise permitted by law, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).

22. Data Protection Commission

The relevant regulatory authority for data protection in Nigeria is the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).

Information about the Commission and its data protection functions is available through its official website.

23. Links to External Websites

Our website may contain links to external websites, including websites belonging to partner organisations, service providers, donors, government bodies, or other organisations.

Once you leave our website, this Privacy Policy does not govern your use of those external websites.

We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of any external website before providing personal information.

24. Social Media

Safe and Seen may maintain social media accounts or use social media platforms to communicate with the public.

When you interact with us through a social media platform, the relevant platform may independently collect and process personal information in accordance with its own privacy policy and terms.

We do not control the privacy practices of those platforms.

25. Confidentiality

We treat personal information received through our activities as confidential and will only disclose it where there is an appropriate lawful basis.

However, confidentiality does not prevent disclosure where we are required by law, court order, regulatory authority, safeguarding obligations, or another lawful requirement to disclose information.

26. Safeguarding

Because Safe and Seen works with children and potentially vulnerable individuals, information relating to safeguarding concerns may need to be handled differently from ordinary website enquiries.

Where necessary to protect a child or another vulnerable person, we may process or disclose relevant information to appropriate persons or authorities where permitted or required by law.

The protection and safety of children may require us to act even where doing so involves sharing relevant information with an appropriate authority.

27. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

Changes may be necessary because of:

• Changes to our activities
• Changes to our website
• Changes to technology
• Changes to third-party services
• Changes to applicable laws or regulations
• Changes to data protection guidance

When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the beginning of this policy.

We encourage visitors to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

28. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise a data protection right, or have a privacy-related complaint, please contact us:

Safe and Seen Children Foundation
Website: safeandseenfoundation.org
Email: contact@safeandseenfoundation.org

We will make reasonable efforts to address privacy enquiries promptly and appropriately.

29. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the applicable laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, the Child Rights Act 2003, and applicable regulations, directives, and guidance relating to data protection.