Privacy Policy.

Bamiwo Foundation respects the privacy of students, scholars, parents and guardians, school representatives, mentors, donors, volunteers and website visitors. This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we use it, who may receive it, how long we keep it and the choices available to you. It applies to our website, scholarship and Young Leaders programmes, online forms, communications and related administration.

 

Bamiwo Foundation is responsible for deciding how and why the personal information covered by this policy is used. We process personal information in accordance with applicable privacy law, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 where it applies.

 

1. Who we are

Bamiwo Foundation is a charitable foundation supporting access to education and mentorship. For privacy questions or requests, email bamiwofoundation@gmail.com with the subject line Privacy Request.

 

2. Information we collect

We collect only the information reasonably needed to operate our website and programmes. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:

• Identity and contact details, such as a name, date of birth or age, telephone number, email address, home area and emergency contact information.

• Scholarship and education information, such as school, class, English and Mathematics grades, school results or transcripts, attendance or progress information, application answers, goals and impact essay, financial-need information, and application status.

• Parent or guardian information, declarations, programme consent, scholar assent, safeguarding acknowledgement and media permission choices.

• Application and programme records, including the automatically generated BF27-### Application ID, which remains the Scholar ID if the applicant is selected, as well as linked verification, activation, progress and mentoring records.

• School verification information, including the verifier's name, role, official contact details, verification answers, evidence and submission time.

• Young Leaders and mentorship information, such as interest choice, goals, support needs, mentor application details, screening and approval records, attendance, session notes, follow-up actions and limited progress observations.

• Uploaded files, such as school results, transcripts and other evidence requested for a programme. We may also receive relevant safeguarding or welfare information when necessary to protect a child or another person.

• Donation and financial-administration information, such as a donor's name, contact details, payment reference, amount and any message received with a bank transfer or enquiry. We do not ask donors to publish bank or card details on the website.

• Communications and enquiry records, including emails, form messages and records of our responses.

• Website and device information, such as IP address, browser and device type, pages visited, dates and times, referral source, security logs, cookie preferences and analytics data where permitted.

 

 

3. How we collect information

We may collect information:

• directly from you when you complete a form, upload a document, contact us, make a donation, attend a programme or respond to a request;

• from a parent or guardian acting for a student or scholar;

• from partner schools and authorised school representatives who verify enrolment, results or other programme information;

• from authorised Foundation coordinators, Board members or mentors who administer the programme; and

• automatically through Wix and approved website tools, including essential security logs and, where permitted, analytics or similar technologies.

 

 

4. Why we use information

We use personal information to:

• receive and administer scholarship applications, confirm eligibility and supporting evidence, and communicate application outcomes;

• create and maintain one persistent Application or Scholar ID and link authorised records without repeatedly asking families for the same information;

• obtain independent school verification and investigate inconsistencies, missing evidence or suspected fraud;

• support selected scholars, activate awards, manage termly progress follow-up and operate the Young Leaders pathway;

• screen and manage mentors, document supervised programme activity and protect children and other participants;

• respond to enquiries, send service messages, maintain records, produce authorised exports or individual reports, and improve programme delivery;

• receive, acknowledge and account for donations, meet financial and audit requirements and prevent misuse;

• publish approved impact information and consent-cleared stories or media;

• keep the website secure, measure performance, remember preferences and improve accessibility and usability; and

• comply with law, respond to lawful requests, protect legal rights and address emergencies or serious safety concerns.

 

 

5. Legal grounds for using information

Depending on the purpose and the information involved, we rely on one or more lawful grounds: your consent or a guardian's consent; steps needed to consider or provide requested programme support; our legitimate interests in operating and protecting the Foundation and its programmes; compliance with legal, accounting or safeguarding obligations; and protection of a person's vital interests in an emergency.

 

Where we rely on consent, it may be withdrawn at any time by contacting us. Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before withdrawal. Some information is necessary to consider an application, deliver an award or run a programme safely; if it is not provided, we may be unable to continue that activity.

 

6. Children and young people

Our scholarship and Young Leaders programmes serve students who may be under 18. We use age-appropriate explanations and, where required, obtain parent or guardian consent and scholar assent. A parent or guardian may submit an application or progress update for a child, but we may also communicate with the scholar in an age-appropriate and safeguarded way.

 

We limit access to children's information, do not publish a child's name, image, story or other identifying information without recorded permission for public use, and treat unclear or missing media permission as no public use. Safeguarding concerns are sent to Dr Ayo or designated programme administration through a restricted process, not to mentors directly.

 

7. Application IDs and scholarship decisions

A successful 2027 application submission receives an automatically generated ID in the format BF27-###. Families do not enter this ID. If the applicant is selected, the same ID remains their Scholar ID and is used to link authorised records across the programme. Existing IDs already issued by the Foundation are retained.

 

The Foundation does not use automated scoring or automated decision-making to select scholarship recipients. Scholarship decisions are made by authorised people after the Board-approved process. Young Leaders interest does not affect scholarship selection.

 

8. Who we share information with

We may share only the information needed with:

• authorised Foundation staff, coordinators and Board members involved in review, approval, administration, finance, safeguarding or oversight;

• partner schools and authorised school representatives for verification and programme coordination;

• approved mentors, but only the limited information required for an authorised, supervised programme activity;

• Wix and approved service providers that support website hosting, forms, data storage, file handling, email, security, analytics, backups or technical administration;

• banks, auditors, accountants, lawyers, insurers or other professional advisers where reasonably necessary; and

• regulators, courts, law-enforcement bodies or safeguarding authorities where required by law or necessary to protect a person from serious harm.

 

We do not sell or rent personal information. We do not share scholarship or mentoring information for targeted advertising. Service providers may use information only to provide agreed services or as otherwise permitted by law.

 

9. International data processing

Wix and some approved service providers may store or process information outside Nigeria. Where personal information is transferred internationally, we take reasonable steps to use providers and safeguards that protect it in line with applicable law. Privacy protections in another country may differ from those in Nigeria.

 

10. Cookies and analytics

Our Wix website uses cookies and similar technologies. Essential cookies support security, stability and core site functions. With your permission, we may also use functional or analytics technologies to remember preferences and understand how the site is used. Marketing technologies will be used only if they are added to the site and the required permission has been obtained.

 

Where a cookie banner is shown, you may accept, reject or adjust non-essential cookies and later change your preferences through the cookie settings control. Refusing non-essential cookies should not prevent you from viewing the public website or submitting a scholarship application, although some optional features may work differently. Third-party applications or embedded content may have their own privacy practices.

 

11. Communications

We may use email, telephone or another approved channel to send application receipts, verification requests, programme invitations, progress reminders, safeguarding or administrative messages, donation acknowledgements and responses to enquiries. These service messages are not marketing. If we send optional news or fundraising messages, you may unsubscribe or ask us to stop.

 

12. Photos stories and media permissions

For participating scholars, we record one of three media choices: NO MEDIA, INTERNAL ONLY or PUBLIC USE. NO MEDIA means the material must not be used for internal or public communications. INTERNAL ONLY means it may be used only for authorised internal programme purposes. PUBLIC USE means the Foundation may use the approved material for the stated public purposes. Missing or unclear permission is treated as no public use.

 

Media permission may be changed by contacting us. We will apply the change to future use and will take reasonable steps regarding material under our control. It may not always be possible to retrieve copies already lawfully published, printed, shared or archived by others.

 

13. How we protect information

We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards appropriate to the information we hold. These include role-based access, restricted private routes, server-side record checks, limited downloads, controlled uploads, staff procedures, backups or exports under Foundation accounts, and testing intended to prevent one family, school or mentor from seeing another person's record.

 

No system can be guaranteed completely secure. If a personal-data incident occurs, we will investigate, limit the impact and notify affected people or the appropriate authority when required by law.

 

14. How long we keep information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purpose collected, including:

• Scholar and programme records: generally five years after the scholar's last programme activity, unless a longer period is required by law, safeguarding needs, audit, dispute or another documented reason.

• Unsuccessful or incomplete applications: for as long as reasonably needed to complete the relevant cycle, answer queries, support permitted follow-up, resolve disputes and meet audit or legal requirements.

• Donation and financial records: for the period required by applicable accounting, tax, audit and legal obligations.

• Safeguarding records: for the period reasonably necessary to protect participants, manage risk and meet legal or professional requirements, which may be longer than the ordinary programme period.

• Website logs, analytics and enquiries: for the shortest practical period consistent with security, service improvement, consent choices and legal requirements.

 

When information is no longer required, we delete it, de-identify it or securely restrict it, subject to technical backup cycles and legal holds.

 

15. Your privacy rights

Subject to applicable law and any valid exception, you may ask us to:

• explain whether we hold your personal information and how we use it;

• give you access to a copy of your information;

• correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete;

• delete information or restrict how it is used;

• provide eligible information in a portable format;

• consider an objection to certain processing;

• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and

• review a concern about how your information has been handled.

 

A parent or guardian may make an appropriate request for a minor. We may need to verify identity and authority before acting, and we may retain limited information where the law permits or requires it. We will respond within the period required by applicable law.

 

16. Complaints

Please contact us first at bamiwofoundation@gmail.com so we can review and address your concern. You may also lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission through its official website at https://ndpc.gov.ng or use another remedy available under applicable law.

 

17. Third party links

Our website may link to banks, social networks, partner organisations or other third-party services. Their privacy practices are controlled by them, not by Bamiwo Foundation. Please review their privacy information before providing personal data.

 

18. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our programmes, website tools or legal responsibilities change. The current version will be posted on the website with a revised date. Where a change materially affects how we use information already collected, we will provide an appropriate notice and obtain consent where required.

 

19. Contact us

Organisation: Bamiwo Foundation

Privacy contact: bamiwofoundation@gmail.com  |  Subject: Privacy Request