Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 2026
1. Who we are
Hephzibah Autism Unit is a community-based organisation (CBO) in Mosoriot, Kenya. Our registration as a CBO is in progress. We support children with autism and their families, and vulnerable elderly neighbours.
This policy explains what personal information we collect through this website, on WhatsApp, by email and at our activities, how we use it, and the choices you have. We follow the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019. We are the "data controller" for your information.
2. Information we collect
We only collect what we need for the purpose you give it to us for.
| When | What we collect |
|---|---|
| You send a donation pledge | First and last name, phone/WhatsApp number, email (optional), amount pledged, your message |
| You contact us | Your name, contact details and what you tell us |
| You join as a member | Name, contact details and membership records |
| You volunteer | Name, contact details, availability, skills, and an emergency contact if you take part in activities |
| You ask for help for a child or family | Parent or caregiver details, the child's name and age, and information about the child's needs, schooling and support |
| You receive elderly food support | Name, location, contact person and support records |
The forms on this website do not store your details on the website. They open WhatsApp with your message filled in, and nothing is sent until you press send. We do not collect bank card details or M-Pesa PINs.
3. How we use your information
- Reply to your messages and requests for help
- Process and acknowledge donations, and keep honest financial records
- Run our programmes: parent support, linking children to schools and therapy, and elderly food support
- Manage membership, volunteers and meetings
- Send you updates you have asked for, such as through our WhatsApp Channel
- Meet our legal and reporting duties as a CBO
We rely on your consent, on the need to deliver a service you asked for, and on our legal duties. You can withdraw consent at any time. We will never sell your information.
4. Children and health information
Information about a child's autism, development or health is sensitive, and we take extra care with it.
- We only collect it with the consent of the child's parent or legal guardian.
- Only officials and volunteers who directly support the family can see it.
- We share it with a school, clinic or therapist only when the parent agrees.
- We do not publish a child's name, diagnosis or story on our website or social media.
- We only use photos of children with written consent from their parent or guardian, and never add names to those photos.
5. Who we share it with
- Service providers that help us run things: our website host, Google (Gmail and our files) and WhatsApp. They may only use your information to provide their service to us.
- Partners you agree to, such as a school, clinic or therapist helping your child.
- Authorities when the law requires it, or to protect a child or adult from serious harm.
Some of these providers store information on servers outside Kenya, with security safeguards in place, as allowed under the Data Protection Act.
6. Keeping your information safe
We keep records in password-protected accounts and paper forms in a locked place. Only officials who need the information can access it.
| Type of record | How long we keep it |
|---|---|
| Enquiries and messages | Up to 2 years after our last contact |
| Donation and financial records | 7 years, for accounting and audit |
| Membership records | While you are a member, then 2 years |
| Volunteer records | While you volunteer, then 2 years |
| Family and child support records | While we support the family, then 3 years, unless the parent asks us to delete them sooner |
7. Your rights
Under the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019, you can ask to see, correct or delete your information, object to how we use it, withdraw consent, or get a copy of it. Email or WhatsApp . We reply within 14 days, free of charge.
8. Cookies
This website does not use advertising or tracking cookies. Our fonts are loaded from Google Fonts, which may record your device's IP address.
9. Complaints and changes
If you are not happy with our answer, you can complain to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner at www.odpc.go.ke. We may update this policy; the latest version will always be on this page.