Privacy Policy

Self-Help International respects your right to privacy and we recognize the trust you place in us through your relationship with us. We do not rent, sell, or exchange our mailing lists. We value your faith in our organization and assure you that we will always strive to be responsible in our management, truthful in our advertising, and cost-effective in our fundraising.

What personal information we collect

We collect personal information about individuals including supporters, volunteers, contractors and employees for the purposes of carrying out our business, including fundraising activities. The types of personal information we commonly collect include:

• Your name and contact details such as address, phone number and email address
• A history of your donations, correspondence and other interactions with us
• Your employer details, if you provide them and/or participate in workplace giving
• Your preferences for mailings, invitations, and volunteer activities

How we collect and hold personal information

Where possible, your personal information is collected directly from you. This can be from donation forms, events or trip registrations, business cards, through our website or by direct request. Your personal information is stored securely in an encrypted database hosted on a dedicated private server cloud. You may access the privacy policy of our third-party provider by clicking here. Hard copy personal information is entered into the database and subsequently shredded. Where it is necessary to maintain a hard copy, the information is securely stored with limited staff access onsite for the necessary length of time and then shredded i.e., financial record-keeping.

Staff, Interns, Volunteers and Directors are required to sign a confidentiality agreement and comply with our Privacy Policy.

How we use and disclose personal information

We will use your personal information in connection with our business activities and will always treat your personal information as confidential. This may be to process a donation, to send receipts, newsletters or updates about our programs, to conduct marketing and fundraising activities or to invite you to volunteer or attend Self-Help International events. We may also send you requests for donations and will make every effort to honor any designation or preference you have stated. We believe it is important for you to understand how your support is making a difference to the rural families and communities we serve in Ghana and Nicaragua.

You are always welcome to request that your gift is not acknowledged publicly (is anonymous). If you choose to make an anonymous gift, we will not publicize your gift using your name or any associated personal information. Information about the gift will be confidential and disclosed only as required by law.

Self-Help does not sell personal information to outside organizations. From time to time we may disclose your personal information to volunteers, organizers or utilize printing companies in connection with a fundraising event, newsletter or promotional. In addition, contractors who provide database services may have access to your personal information on an as-needed basis. In each instance your information will be provided for a limited, defined purpose. 

There may be times when your name (but not contact information) will be shared publicly in order to recognize your generosity of time, talents or treasure to further our mission, such as on our annual report or in recognition of event sponsorship. Please contact us directly to if you wish that your gifts or efforts on behalf of our organization remain anonymous and we would be happy to honor your opt-out request.

How we collect and process credit card information

Self-Help International utilizes the encrypted data services of third party vendors (see their data security policies here and here) to collect and process credit card information on our website and through other online giving resources. We do not collect or store credit card information made by any electronic method. Occasionally, during a fundraising activity, our organization will contract credit card processing services with a local bank. In this instance a hard copy may be generated and stored securely in keeping with other financial records. These records are shredded when it is no longer necessary to retain a hard copy, and any access to these records is limited to essential staff and only in the direct performance of their employment duties.

Cookies

On this website, non-personal statistical information is possible to track for use in improving services to you. Self-Help International does not track cookies at this time but retains the right to do so in the future. As a website visitor you can disable cookies in your internet browser settings if so desired.

How you can access, update personal information or opt out of future communication

Self-Help International takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, complete and up-to-date. We encourage you to contact us if there are errors in the personal information we hold about you and keep us informed of changes to information such as your name, address or email address.  If you would like access to the personal information we have collected, would like to correct or update information, would like to request anonymity, or would like to opt out of any or all further communications please contact us at:

Self-Help International
207 20th Street NW, Suite A
Waverly, IA 50677
319-352-4040
[email protected]