Privacy Policy

2.1 Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide to us, including:

• Account Information: Name, email address, username, password, educational institution, and profile details
• Contact Information: Phone number, mailing address, and emergency contact details
• Program Participation: Applications, resumes, project submissions, and participation records
• Communications: Messages, feedback, survey responses, and support inquiries
• Payment Information: Billing details for paid services (processed securely through third-party providers)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you use our Services, we automatically collect certain information:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, click patterns, and feature interactions
• Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address
• Cookies and Tracking: Information stored through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies

3.1 Service Provision

• Creating and managing your account
• Providing access to community programs and resources
• Processing applications and participation requests
• Facilitating mentorship connections and networking
• Delivering educational content and materials

3.2 Communication

• Sending program updates and announcements
• Responding to inquiries and providing support
• Delivering newsletters and marketing communications (with your consent)
• Notifying you of policy changes or important information

3.3 Improvement and Analytics

• Analyzing usage patterns to improve our Services
• Conducting research and generating insights
• Developing new features and programs
• Ensuring platform security and preventing fraud

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

4.1 With Your Consent

We may share your information when you explicitly consent to such sharing, such as:

• Connecting you with mentors or program participants
• Featuring your achievements or projects (with permission)
• Facilitating partnerships with educational institutions

4.2 Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who:

• Help us operate and maintain our platform
• Process payments and handle financial transactions
• Provide analytics and marketing services
• Offer customer support and communication tools

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

• Comply with legal process, court orders, or government requests
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of our organization or users
• Investigate potential violations of our Terms of Service
• Prevent fraud, security breaches, or illegal activities

5.1 Technical Safeguards

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Secure servers and database protection
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Multi-factor authentication for sensitive accounts

5.2 Organizational Measures

• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Employee training on data protection and privacy
• Incident response procedures for data breaches
• Regular review and update of security policies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience and gather information about usage patterns.

6.1 Types of Cookies

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality
• Performance Cookies: Help us analyze website usage and performance
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements (with consent)

6.2 Cookie Management

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may limit your ability to use some features of our Services.

You have several rights regarding your personal information:

7.1 Access and Portability

• Request access to your personal information
• Obtain a copy of your data in a portable format
• Receive information about how your data is processed

7.2 Correction and Updates

• Update or correct inaccurate personal information
• Modify your profile and account settings
• Change your communication preferences

7.3 Deletion and Restriction

• Request deletion of your personal information
• Restrict processing of your data in certain circumstances
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests

7.4 Withdrawal of Consent

• Withdraw consent for marketing communications
• Opt out of data processing where consent is the legal basis
• Unsubscribe from newsletters and promotional emails

As we operate primarily in Nigeria and serve users across Africa, your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place when transferring data internationally, including:

• Adequacy decisions by relevant data protection authorities
• Standard contractual clauses with third-party processors
• Certification under recognized privacy frameworks
• Explicit consent for transfers where required

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy or as required by law:

• Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for 2 years after closure
• Program Participation: Kept for 5 years for alumni engagement and impact measurement
• Communications: Stored for 3 years for customer service and legal purposes
• Marketing Data: Retained until you withdraw consent or 2 years of inactivity
• Legal Compliance: Kept as required by applicable laws and regulations

Our Services are primarily intended for individuals 16 years of age and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16 without parental consent.

If you are between 16 and 18 years old, you must have parental or guardian consent before using our Services. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 16 without proper consent, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to these external services.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through our platform. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or service offerings. When we make changes, we will:

• Post the updated Privacy Policy on our website
• Update the 'Last Updated' date at the top of this policy
• Notify you via email or platform notification for material changes
• Provide at least 30 days' notice for significant changes affecting your rights
• Obtain your consent where required by applicable law

Your continued use of our Services after any modifications constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: