Privacy Policy

Website: ShimelesaberaFoundation.org
Effective Date: August 18, 2026
Last Updated: August 18, 2026

This policy explains how the Shimelesabera Foundation handles personal information.

Shimelesabera Foundation (“Shimelesabera Foundation,” “the Foundation,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information of individuals who visit our website, communicate with us, donate to our organization, volunteer, participate in our programs, or otherwise interact with us.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal information through ShimelesaberaFoundation.org (the “Website”).

1. Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with our Website, we may collect information that you voluntarily provide, including:

• Full name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Mailing or contact address
• Organization or affiliation
• Information submitted through contact forms
• Volunteer information
• Program or application information
• Donation-related information
• Event registration information
• Communications with the Foundation
• Other information you voluntarily provide

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:

• IP address
• Browser type
• Device type
• Operating system
• Pages visited
• Date and time of access
• Referring website
• General Website usage information

We may use this information to maintain Website security, diagnose technical problems, understand Website usage, and improve our services.

2. Donations and Payment Information

If online donations are available through our Website, payments may be processed by a third-party payment provider.

The payment provider may collect and process payment information according to its own terms and privacy policy.

Shimelesabera Foundation does not intend to store complete credit-card or debit-card numbers on its own Website servers.

Donation information may be used to:

• Process and acknowledge donations;
• Issue donation receipts where applicable;
• Maintain financial and accounting records;
• Communicate with donors;
• Comply with applicable legal requirements; and
• Support the Foundation’s charitable activities.

3. How We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information to:

• Respond to inquiries and requests;
• Communicate with donors, volunteers, supporters, applicants, and beneficiaries;
• Process donations;
• Administer Foundation programs and activities;
• Process volunteer or program applications;
• Organize events;
• Send newsletters and organizational updates;
• Improve our Website and services;
• Maintain Website security;
• Prevent fraud or unauthorized activity;
• Maintain appropriate organizational and financial records; and
• Comply with applicable laws and legal obligations.

We do not sell personal information as a commercial product.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We seek to process personal information in accordance with applicable Ethiopian data-protection requirements, including the Personal Data Protection Proclamation No. 1321/2016.

Depending on the circumstances, personal information may be processed based on:

• Your consent;
• Your request for a service or information;
• The performance of an arrangement with you;
• A legal or regulatory obligation;
• Legitimate organizational purposes; or
• Another lawful basis permitted by applicable law.

Where consent is required, we will seek consent in an appropriate manner.

5. Sharing Personal Information

We may share personal information with trusted third parties when reasonably necessary to operate the Foundation or Website, including:

• Payment processors;
• Website hosting providers;
• Email and communications providers;
• Information-technology providers;
• Analytics providers;
• Professional advisors;
• Auditors and financial service providers;
• Government authorities where legally required; and
• Other service providers acting on our behalf.

We expect service providers handling personal information for us to use appropriate safeguards and process information only for authorized purposes.

6. International Data Transfers

Some of the service providers described above may store or process personal information outside Ethiopia.

Where personal information is transferred outside Ethiopia, we seek to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, consistent with applicable Ethiopian data-protection requirements, including the Personal Data Protection Proclamation No. 1321/2016.

By using the Website or providing personal information to us, you understand that your information may be processed in jurisdictions other than the one in which you reside, and that data-protection rules in those jurisdictions may differ from those in Ethiopia.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including:

• The period needed to provide the service or respond to the request for which it was collected;
• The period required to maintain financial, donation, and accounting records;
• The period required by applicable law, audit, or regulatory obligation; and
• The period reasonably needed to resolve disputes or enforce our agreements.

Where personal information relates to assistance applications, beneficiary records, or safeguarding matters, we may retain it for longer where doing so is necessary to protect the individuals concerned or to meet our obligations as a charitable organization.

When personal information is no longer required, we seek to delete it or to anonymize it so that it can no longer be associated with an individual.

8. Information Security

We take reasonable organizational and technical measures intended to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures may include access controls, restricting staff access to what their role requires, and keeping records of access to sensitive information.

No method of transmission over the internet and no method of electronic storage is completely secure. While we work to protect personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

If you believe your interaction with us is no longer secure, please contact us using the details in the “Contact Us” section below.

9. Your Rights

Subject to applicable Ethiopian law, and depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you;
• Request correction of information that is inaccurate or incomplete;
• Request deletion of personal information, where we are not required to retain it;
• Object to or request restriction of certain processing;
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent, without affecting processing already carried out; and
• Unsubscribe from newsletters and organizational updates at any time.

To make a request, please contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request, and we will respond within a reasonable period.

Some requests may be limited where the information is needed to meet a legal obligation, to maintain financial records, or to protect the rights or safety of another person.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Website is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children through the Website without the involvement of a parent, guardian, or other appropriate adult.

Some of the Foundation’s programs support children and young people. Where information about a child is collected as part of a program, we seek to do so through a parent, guardian, or authorized representative, and we handle that information with additional care and restricted access.

If you believe a child has provided personal information through the Website without appropriate consent, please contact us and we will take reasonable steps to remove it.

11. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our Website may use cookies or similar technologies to keep the Website working correctly, remember your preferences, maintain security, and understand how the Website is used.

Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies through their settings. Disabling cookies may affect how parts of the Website function.

12. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites and services, including donation platforms, social media, and video services.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We are not responsible for their content or their privacy practices, and we encourage you to read the privacy policy of any third-party service before providing personal information to it.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, our services, or applicable law.

When we do, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. Where a change is significant, we will take reasonable steps to bring it to the attention of those affected.

Your continued use of the Website after an update takes effect indicates that you are aware of the current version of this Privacy Policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, or wish to make a request about your personal information, you can reach us at:

Shimelesabera Foundation
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Email: [email protected]

You can also use the form on our Contact page.