Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

AfroPulse Youth Initiative (AYI) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of the personal data of our mentors, mentees, partners, donors, and other stakeholders. This policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information in connection with our programs, including the AYI Career Accelerator (Mentorship), the AYI Innovation Lab (Incubation), and our Active Citizenship initiatives (Peacebuilding).

1. Information We Collect

We collect information necessary to operate our high-impact programs and fulfill our mission. This information falls into the following categories:

A. Information Provided Directly by You:

Identity Data: Name, date of birth, age range, gender, nationality.
Contact Data: Email address, phone number, physical address, LinkedIn profile URL.
Professional Data (Mentors & Mentees): Job title, employer, industry, education, years of experience, skills, career goals, and professional aspirations.
Application Data: Responses to application questions regarding interest in AYI's mission, commitment level, and background checks (where applicable).
Financial Data (Donors & Grant Recipients): Donation history, bank or payment information (processed via secure third-party processors and not stored by AYI).

B. Program Data:

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Data: Records of mentorship session attendance, project progress reports, key impact metrics (e.g., Career Advancement Rate, Sustainability & Investment status, Civic Engagement), and feedback forms.
Communications Data: Records of correspondence, dialogue forum participation, and Ambassador Program activities.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data to execute our mission and operate our programs based on the Three Pillars of Empowerment:

Pillar/Purpose	Specific Use	Legal Basis
Mentorship (AYI Career Accelerator)	Matching mentors and mentees based on skills, goals, and experience.	Fulfillment of a contract/Legitimate Interest
Incubation (AYI Innovation Lab)	Assessing project viability, providing End-to-End Project Support, and connecting enterprises with potential investors/partners.	Fulfillment of a contract/Legitimate Interest
Peacebuilding (Active Citizenship)	Managing the Ambassador Program, organizing dialogue forums, and monitoring Payback Pledge/Community Project completion.	Legitimate Interest/Consent
Impact & Scalability (M&E)	Conducting rigorous monitoring and evaluation, tracking Key Impact Metrics, and generating reports for accountability and scaling.	Legitimate Interest/Legal Obligation
Communication	Sending program updates, newsletters, fundraising appeals, and event invitations.	Legitimate Interest/Consent

3. Sharing and Disclosure of Your Information

AYI does not sell your personal data. We only share it under the following circumstances and with necessary safeguards:

Program Pairing: We share necessary Professional and Identity Data between matched mentors and mentees to facilitate the AYI Career Accelerator.
Partners and Investors: For youth-led enterprises in the AYI Innovation Lab, we may share relevant project details and team professional data with vetted seed funders, legal aid providers, and external investors to secure funding and aid.
Third-Party Service Providers: We use trusted third-party services (e.g., cloud hosting, email platforms, payment processors) to help us operate. These providers are bound by strict contractual obligations to keep your information confidential and secure.
Legal Compliance: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to a court order or subpoena.

4. Data Security and Retention

Security:

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures (including encryption, firewalls, and secure access controls) to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, loss, or disclosure.

Retention:

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, including the duration of your involvement in an AYI program and for a reasonable period thereafter for M&E, record-keeping, and "pay it forward" sustainability purposes.

5. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to Access: The right to request copies of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification: The right to request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
Right to Erasure ('Right to be Forgotten'): The right to request that we erase your personal data, under certain conditions.
Right to Object to Processing: The right to object to our processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 6.

6. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or AYI's data practices, please contact us:

AfroPulse Youth Initiative (AYI)

Attention: Data Protection Officer

Email: privacy@afropulseyouth.org