At Harambee, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our childcare platform. By using Harambee, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information to provide and improve our services:

Personal Information

• Name, email address, phone number, and postal address
• Date of birth and age verification
• Profile photographs and identification documents
• Payment information and billing details
• Emergency contact information

Verification Information

• Government-issued ID documents (for KYC verification)
• DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check results
• Background check information
• Training certificates and qualifications

Usage Information

• Service requests and booking history
• Messages and communications between users
• Reviews, ratings, and feedback
• Device information and IP addresses
• Location data (when using location-based features)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• To provide, maintain, and improve our childcare platform services
• To verify the identity and qualifications of caregivers
• To facilitate connections between parents and verified caregivers
• To process payments and manage transactions
• To send service-related notifications, updates, and support messages
• To respond to your inquiries, comments, and requests
• To monitor and analyze platform usage and trends
• To ensure safety and security of all users, especially children
• To comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• To detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, or security issues

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• With Other Users: Basic profile information (name, photo, ratings) is shared with other users to facilitate service connections
• With Your Consent: We may share information when you explicitly consent to such sharing
• Service Providers: We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist in platform operations
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government regulation
• Safety and Security: We may share information to protect the rights, property, or safety of Harambee, our users, or others, especially in cases involving child safety
• Business Transfers: Information may be transferred in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

Third-Party Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers to deliver our platform:

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Secure authentication and access controls
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Secure storage of verification documents and sensitive data

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Children's Privacy

Harambee is designed for parents and caregivers. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under the age of 13. Information about children is provided by their parents or legal guardians in the context of arranging childcare services. We take the privacy and safety of children extremely seriously and have implemented additional safeguards to protect children's information.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request access to your personal information we hold
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications (service-related messages will still be sent)
• Objection: Object to certain processing of your information

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@myharambee.com. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Verification documents and background check information may be retained for longer periods as required by law or for safety purposes. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information, except where we are required to retain it for legal or safety reasons.

Third-party service providers have their own retention policies. Yoti typically retains verification data for 90 days after verification completion. Mailgun retains email delivery logs according to their retention policy. Google does not store data sent to their APIs except as required for service delivery. Files stored on Digital Ocean servers are deleted when you delete your account.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our platform and store certain information. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our service.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on computers located outside of your state, province, country, or other governmental jurisdiction where data protection laws may differ. By using our service, you consent to the transfer of your information to these facilities.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

For users in the European Union, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

Last updated: January 9, 2026