The short version: We collect only what we need to serve you and communicate with you. We never sell your data. We never share it with advertisers. You can ask us to delete your information at any time.
Who we are
Hands to the Fatherless Ministries ("HFM", "we", "us") is a faith-based, non-profit organisation registered in Uganda under the Uganda NGO Bureau. We operate the website at handsthefatherless.org (the "Site").
Our contact email is info.handsthfm@gmail.com. We are based in Kampala, Uganda.
What information we collect
Information you give us directly
- Donation information — your name, email address, and gift details when you give through our website or contact us to donate.
- Newsletter sign-up — your name and email address when you subscribe to our community updates.
- Contact and enquiry forms — your name, email, phone number, and message when you reach out to us.
- Volunteer and partnership applications — professional details, availability, and your message when you apply to serve with us.
Information collected automatically
- Website analytics — we may collect general, anonymous data about how pages are visited (page views, device type, country). This data is aggregated and contains no personal identifiers.
- Cookies — we use one functional cookie to remember your light/dark theme preference. It stores only a single word ("light" or "dark") and contains no personal information.
We do not use advertising trackers, Facebook pixels, Google remarketing tags, or any third-party profiling technology on this website.
How we use your information
We use the information we collect only for the following purposes:
- To process your donation and send you a receipt
- To send you the newsletter or community updates you have requested
- To respond to your enquiries, volunteer applications, and partnership requests
- To send you impact updates about the children and programmes your gift supports
- To improve our website and communications
We will never use your information to contact you for purposes unrelated to your original request without your explicit permission.
Who we share your information with
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party — ever.
We may share limited information in the following circumstances only:
- Email service providers — if we use a third-party tool to send newsletters, your email address is shared with that provider solely to deliver messages.
- Legal obligation — if required by Ugandan law or a valid legal process, we may need to disclose information. We will notify you unless legally prohibited from doing so.
How long we keep your data
- Donation records — we retain records for 7 years as required for financial accountability and audit purposes.
- Newsletter subscriptions — we keep your email address for as long as you are subscribed. You may unsubscribe at any time.
- Contact form submissions — we retain correspondence for 2 years for reference, then delete it.
- Volunteer applications — we retain applications for 12 months from submission.
Your rights
Regardless of where you are located, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Access — you can ask us what information we hold about you.
- Correction — you can ask us to correct inaccurate information.
- Deletion — you can ask us to delete your personal information. We will comply unless we have a legal obligation to retain it.
- Unsubscribe — you can opt out of communications at any time by replying "unsubscribe" to any email we send.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at info.handsthfm@gmail.com with "Privacy Request" in the subject line.
Children's privacy
Our website is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us without parental consent, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
Our communications about the children we serve are always handled with care. We share children's stories only with appropriate permissions and in ways that protect their dignity and safety.
Security
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from unauthorised access or disclosure. Our email communications are transmitted over encrypted connections where possible. However, no internet transmission is completely secure — if you have concerns about sensitive information, please contact us directly.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact us
For any questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal data:
Email: info.handsthfm@gmail.com
Organisation: Hands to the Fatherless Ministries (HFM)
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Registration: Uganda NGO Bureau, 2018