Privacy Policy – Foster Entrepreneurs South Africa (FESA)

Effective date: January 7, 2026.

Foster Entrepreneurs South Africa (“FESA”, “we”, “our”, “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our supporters, donors, volunteers, partners, program participants, and website visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information in connection with our activities and our website: **https://fosterentrepreneurssouthafrica.org/**

Although FESA is a Canadian non‑profit organization and much of our work is non‑commercial, we aim to follow the principles in Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and substantially similar provincial privacy laws.

1. What personal information we collect

We may collect the following types of personal information, when relevant:

  • Contact details (name, email address, telephone number).

  • Demographic information you choose to share (such as city, province, country).

  • Donation‑related information (amounts, dates, communication preferences).

  • Subscription and engagement data (newsletter opt‑in, event registrations, survey responses, website forms).

  • Volunteer or applicant details (experience, skills, references, background information you provide).

  • Technical information related to website use (IP address, browser type, pages visited, cookies and similar technologies).

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal information (e.g., health, financial account numbers, government ID numbers) unless it is clearly necessary and you provide it voluntarily in a secure manner.

2. How we collect personal information

We collect personal information in the following ways:

  • Directly from you when you subscribe to our mailing list, contact us, register for an event, submit a form, make or pledge a donation, or apply to volunteer or work with FESA.

  • Through our website and emails, using cookies, analytics tools, and similar technologies that help us understand how people use our site and communications.

3. How we use personal information

We use personal information to:

  • Communicate with you about FESA’s mission: to help young South Africans start micro businesses where they live, creating jobs and building resilient, sustainable communities.

  • Send newsletters, impact updates, event invitations, and limited fundraising requests in line with your communication preferences and Canada’s anti‑spam legislation (CASL).

  • Process and acknowledge donations and other contributions (once we are authorized to receive them as a registered charity).

  • Manage volunteer and partner relationships.

  • Operate, maintain, and improve our website, programs, and fundraising activities, including data analytics and reporting.

  • Meet legal, regulatory, insurance, audit, and risk‑management requirements.

We will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for purposes that are materially different from those described in this Policy without obtaining your consent or as permitted or required by law.

4. Lawful basis and consent

Where required by applicable law, we rely on your consent to collect, use, and disclose your personal information. You can withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions, by contacting us using the details below or using the unsubscribe link in our emails. We may also rely on other lawful bases, such as our legitimate interests in operating FESA and fulfilling our mission, or compliance with legal obligations.

5. How we share personal information

We do not sell, rent, trade, or lease donor or supporter lists. If we ever consider sharing information with another organization (for example, for a joint campaign), we will obtain your express consent in advance or provide a clear opt‑out, in line with Canadian guidance on donor privacy.

6. How we protect personal information

We use physical, organizational, and technological safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information we hold, in line with PIPEDA’s safeguard principle.

Examples include:

  • Limiting access to personal information to staff, volunteers, and service providers who need it to perform their duties.

  • Using password protection, two‑factor authentication, encryption, and secure cloud services where appropriate.

  • Training relevant team members on privacy and data‑protection practices.

  • Retaining personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described and then securely deleting or anonymizing it.

However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to meet legal or reporting requirements (for example, charity and tax rules), and to maintain appropriate records of our activities. When information is no longer required, we securely destroy, erase, or anonymize it.

8. Your rights and choices

Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:

  • Request access to the personal information we hold about you.

  • Request correction or updating of inaccurate or incomplete information.

  • Withdraw consent to certain uses of your information (for example, communication emails).

  • Ask questions or raise concerns about our privacy practices.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request. In some cases, legal restrictions may limit our ability to comply fully; if that happens, we will explain why.

You can also unsubscribe from our email communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link at the bottom of each email or by contacting us directly.

9. Cookies and website analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality, remember your preferences, and understand how visitors use the site. You can usually modify your browser settings to block or delete cookies, but this may affect how our website functions.

We may use analytics tools to collect aggregate, non‑identifying information about website traffic and usage. This information helps us improve our online presence and fundraising effectiveness.

10. Children’s privacy

FESA’s website and communications are intended primarily for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of majority in their province or territory without appropriate consent from a parent or guardian.

11. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, guidance, or our practices. The “Effective date” at the top indicates when it was last revised. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically. Material changes may be highlighted on our website or communicated by email where appropriate.

12. Contacting us

If you have any questions, requests, or concerns about this Privacy Policy or FESA’s handling of personal information, please contact:

Nic Tsangarakis – Foster Entrepreneurs South Africa (FESA)
 Email: contact@fosterentrepreneurssouthafrica.org
Mailing address: [insert PO Box]

We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable time, in accordance with applicable privacy laws.