Legal

Privacy Policy

At MatataBrown, your trust means everything. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have — in plain language, with no surprises.

Last updated: May 2026

Contents

1. Introduction

Matatabrown Sight Care Foundation is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care, honesty, and respect. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and the rights you have over it.

This policy applies to all personal information collected through our website (matatabrown.org), donation forms, volunteer and partnership applications, newsletter subscriptions, and any direct communications with us.

By using our website or submitting information to us, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our website or submit your information to us.

2. Who We Are

Matatabrown Sight Care Foundation is a Nigerian non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to eliminating preventable blindness and improving access to quality eye care across Nigeria and Africa. We are registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) under registration number RC9495371 and operate under Nigerian law.

When this policy refers to "MatataBrown", "we", "us", or "our", it means the organisation responsible for your personal information. As the data controller, we determine why and how your personal data is processed.

For any privacy-related enquiries, you may contact our Data Protection Officer at privacy@matatabrown.org.

3. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to serve you and advance our mission. We gather information in the following ways:

Information you provide directly

  • Contact details — your name, email address, and phone number when you submit a contact, volunteer, or partnership enquiry form.
  • Donation information — your name, billing address, email address, and payment details when you make a donation. We do not store full card numbers; payment transactions are handled by our secure payment processors.
  • Volunteer details — information you provide when applying to volunteer, including your skills, availability, location, and any relevant experience.
  • Partnership enquiries — your name, organisation name, role, and the nature of the proposed partnership.
  • Newsletter subscriptions — your email address and name when you subscribe to our mailing list.
  • Communications — any messages, feedback, or correspondence you send us via email or our contact form.

Information collected automatically

  • Website usage data — pages visited, time spent on pages, referring URLs, browser type, and device information, collected through cookies and analytics tools.
  • IP address — recorded automatically when you visit our website, used for security monitoring and general geographic analytics.
  • Cookie data — preferences and session data stored locally on your device to improve your browsing experience. See Section 7 for full details.

Information from third parties

  • Payment processors — confirmation of completed transactions, including transaction references and amounts, to reconcile donation records.
  • Social media — if you interact with MatataBrown on social media platforms, we may receive limited profile information as permitted by the platform's privacy settings.

5. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect strictly for purposes connected to our mission and your relationship with us. Specifically:

  • To process your donation, issue receipts, and maintain accurate financial records.
  • To respond to your enquiries, applications, and requests in a timely manner.
  • To onboard and communicate with volunteers and partners.
  • To send programme updates, impact reports, and fundraising appeals — only where you have opted in.
  • To maintain and improve our website, including understanding which content resonates most with our audience.
  • To detect and prevent fraudulent activity or security threats.
  • To comply with our legal, regulatory, and reporting obligations.
  • To conduct internal research and evaluation to improve the effectiveness of our programmes.

We will never use your personal information for commercial advertising, profiling for third-party marketing, or any purpose unrelated to MatataBrown's charitable mission without obtaining your explicit consent first.

6. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, lease, or trade your personal information to any third party. We share information only in the following limited circumstances:

  • Payment processors — to securely process donations. Our payment partners operate under strict data security standards and are contractually prohibited from using your data for any other purpose.
  • Email and communications platforms — service providers who help us send newsletters and transactional emails, bound by data processing agreements.
  • Website and technology providers — trusted vendors who support the operation and security of our website, under confidentiality obligations.
  • Legal and regulatory authorities — where we are required by law, court order, or a legitimate request from a Nigerian regulatory authority to disclose information.
  • Safeguarding — in rare circumstances where sharing information is necessary to protect the safety of an individual, we may share relevant details with appropriate authorities.

All third parties with whom we share your data are required to maintain appropriate security standards and are prohibited from using your information for their own purposes.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit our website. We use them to keep the site functioning correctly and to understand how it is being used so we can improve it.

We use the following types of cookies:

  • Essential cookies — strictly necessary for the website to function. These cannot be disabled without affecting how the site works. No consent is required for these.
  • Analytics cookies — used to collect anonymised data on how visitors interact with our website (pages viewed, time on site, traffic sources). We use Google Analytics for this purpose. These cookies are only placed after you give your consent.
  • Preference cookies — used to remember choices you make, such as your cookie consent decision.

You can manage or withdraw your cookie consent at any time by clearing your browser's local storage or adjusting your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect your experience on our website.

8. International Data Transfers

Some of our third-party service providers — including analytics and email platforms — may process your data outside Nigeria. Where this occurs, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in line with the NDPA 2023 and applicable international standards.

By using our website or submitting your information to us, you acknowledge that your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside Nigeria.

9. Your Rights

Under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Right of access — you may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
  • Right to rectification — you may ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Right to erasure — you may request that we delete your personal data, subject to our legal obligations (for example, we are required to retain donation records for seven years).
  • Right to restriction — you may ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
  • Right to data portability — you may request that we provide your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
  • Right to object — you may object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing.
  • Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
  • Right to lodge a complaint — you have the right to complain to the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) if you believe your data rights have been violated.

To exercise any of these rights, please email us at privacy@matatabrown.org. We will acknowledge your request within 5 business days and respond fully within 30 days. There is no charge for making a request.

10. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Our general retention periods are:

  • Donation records — retained for a minimum of seven (7) years to comply with Nigerian financial and tax regulations.
  • Volunteer and partnership records — retained for the duration of the relationship and up to three (3) years thereafter.
  • Contact form submissions and general correspondence — retained for up to two (2) years.
  • Newsletter subscription data — retained until you unsubscribe, after which it is deleted within 30 days.
  • Website analytics data — anonymised and aggregated data may be retained indefinitely; identifiable data is deleted after 26 months.

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised. You may request early deletion at any time, subject to our legal obligations.

11. How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it from unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include:

  • Secure, encrypted connections (HTTPS) across our website.
  • Access controls limiting who within our organisation can view personal data.
  • Use of payment processors that comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS).
  • Regular review of our data handling practices and security procedures.

While we take all reasonable steps to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by the NDPA 2023.

12. Children's Privacy

Many of the communities MatataBrown serves include children, and we are deeply committed to their protection. Our website and online services are not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children without verifiable parental or guardian consent.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has submitted personal information to us without your consent, please contact us immediately at privacy@matatabrown.org. We will investigate and delete the information promptly.

Where our outreach programmes involve children, any data collected in that context is handled under separate safeguarding policies and in accordance with applicable child protection laws.

13. Beneficiary and Programme Participant Data

In the course of delivering our eye health programmes — including community screenings, treatment support, school health initiatives, and outreach activities — we may collect personal information about the individuals we serve. This includes patients, programme participants, and community members (collectively referred to as "beneficiaries").

The type of information collected may include:

  • Basic identifying information — name, age, gender, and location.
  • Health-related information — eye health assessments, diagnoses, treatment received, and referral records.
  • Photographs or video — images taken during outreach activities or screenings, used solely for documentation and impact reporting with the individual's knowledge.
  • Programme participation records — details of services received, follow-up appointments, and outcomes.

How we use beneficiary data

  • To deliver, monitor, and improve the quality of our programmes and services.
  • To track health outcomes and measure the impact of our interventions.
  • To prepare internal reports and meet donor reporting obligations, using anonymised or aggregated data wherever possible.
  • To refer individuals to partner healthcare providers or specialists where needed.

Our commitments to beneficiaries

  • We collect only the minimum information necessary to provide our services effectively.
  • We obtain informed consent before collecting personal or health information, adapted to local language and literacy levels where needed.
  • Health data is treated as sensitive information and is accessible only to authorised programme staff.
  • Beneficiary data is never shared with third parties for commercial purposes.
  • Where images or personal stories are used in communications or fundraising, we obtain explicit consent from the individual — or a parent or guardian in the case of a minor — and honour any request to withdraw that consent.
  • Beneficiaries have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of their programme records at any time.

If you are a programme participant or a guardian acting on behalf of one, and you have questions about your records or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us at privacy@matatabrown.org.

15. Changes to This Policy

We review and update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, services, or applicable law. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.

Where changes are material — such as a new type of data collection or a new way of using your data — we will notify you directly by email (where we hold your contact details) and display a prominent notice on our website.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

16. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal information, please get in touch:

  • Email: privacy@matatabrown.org
  • Contact form: matatabrown.org/contact
  • Organisation: Matatabrown Sight Care Foundation, Nigeria

We take all privacy enquiries seriously and are committed to resolving your concerns promptly, fairly, and transparently. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) at ndpc.gov.ng.

This Privacy Policy was last reviewed in May 2026. You may also wish to read our Terms & Conditions.