NOVA Hope Foundation Privacy policy

Effective Date: 10/31/2025

1. Who We Are

NOVA Hope Foundation (“NOVAH Foundation,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization incorporated and headquartered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States.

Founded by Dr. Obed Kwame Agyei, NOVAH Foundation is dedicated to expanding equitable access to quality healthcare for under-served and rural communities across Africa. We pursue this mission through medical-relief initiatives, maternal-health support, community partnerships, and humanitarian outreach programs implemented in collaboration with trusted local and international partners.

We recognize that the individuals and organizations who engage with us—whether as donors, volunteers, beneficiaries, partners, or website visitors—entrust us with personal information. We take that responsibility seriously and are committed to handling all personal data lawfully, transparently, and securely, in accordance with:

  1. The applicable laws of the United States, including relevant federal and state privacy principles;

  2. The Ghana Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843), where our operations or partnerships extend within Ghana; and

  3. The EU and UK General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), where data subjects are located in those jurisdictions.

This Privacy Policy explains:

  1. What personal information we collect;

  2. How and why we use, disclose, and protect it; and

  3. The choices and rights available to you regarding your information.

It applies to all personal data obtained through our website (https://novahfoundation.org), email and postal communications, online donation platforms, volunteer or partnership applications, events, and any other official NOVAH Foundation interaction channels.

By visiting our website, donating, or otherwise sharing your personal information with us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection and use of your data as described herein, subject to your rights under the applicable data-protection laws.

2. Information We Collect

We collect only the personal information that is necessary, relevant, and proportionate to fulfil our charitable objectives and maintain lawful operations. Information may be obtained through our website (https://novahfoundation.org), email correspondence, donation forms, volunteer applications, events, or other official channels.

(a) Information You Provide Directly

We may collect and process:

  1. Identity and contact details – such as your name, postal address, email address, and telephone number;

  2. Donation and transaction data – including donation amount, date, payment method, and transaction reference (payment card details are processed securely by our authorised payment providers and never stored on NOVAH Foundation servers);

  3. Communication preferences and subscription details – when you sign up for newsletters, updates, or events;

  4. Volunteer, partnership, or grant-related information – including résumés, affiliation details, or other information you choose to provide in connection with our programmes.

(b) Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect limited technical information to maintain site security and performance, including:

  1. Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, device identifiers, operating system, and approximate geographic location;

  2. Usage statistics, time spent on pages, and referring links, through cookies or analytics technologies (see Cookies and Analytics below).

(c) Sensitive Information

We do not intentionally collect special-category or sensitive personal data (such as health or religious information). If such data is provided voluntarily for a specific purpose — for example, to support a medical or humanitarian mission — it will be handled only with your explicit consent and in compliance with applicable data-protection laws.

We do not knowingly collect data from children under the age of 13 (or 16 in jurisdictions where that is the minimum consent age).

3. How We Use Your Information

We process personal information strictly for legitimate, defined purposes and in accordance with applicable privacy legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679), the UK GDPR, the Ghana Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843), and relevant U.S. privacy standards.

Your data may be used to:

  1. Process, verify, and acknowledge donations, issue tax-compliant receipts, and maintain donor records;

  2. Communicate responsibly – to send newsletters, updates, invitations, and impact reports, only where you have provided consent or where a legitimate interest applies;

  3. Administer volunteer or partnership engagements, including due-diligence checks and operational coordination;

  4. Respond to inquiries, feedback, or support requests made through our website or other channels;

  5. Comply with statutory, accounting, audit, and regulatory obligations in the U.S. and any other jurisdiction where we operate;

  6. Maintain and improve our digital platforms, ensure website security, and evaluate the effectiveness of our outreach;

  7. Safeguard our legitimate organizational interests, including preventing fraud, misuse, or security breaches.

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information and will share it only with trusted service providers or partners who are contractually bound to protect your data and use it solely for authorized purposes.

All data processing is conducted under the principles of lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimization, accuracy, integrity, and accountability.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Where applicable under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679), the UK GDPR, or the Ghana Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843), we process personal data on one or more of the following lawful grounds:

  1. Consent – when you voluntarily provide personal information, such as subscribing to updates, submitting an enquiry, or participating in an initiative;

  2. Contractual necessity – to process a donation, confirm participation, or deliver requested services;

  3. Legal obligation – to meet statutory, tax, accounting, audit, and regulatory requirements applicable to nonprofit entities;

  4. Legitimate interests – to pursue and manage our charitable mission, maintain donor and partner relationships, and ensure the security and integrity of our operations.

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before such withdrawal.

To exercise this right, please contact us using the details in Section 13 (Contact Information).

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We treat all personal information as confidential and disclose it only when necessary, proportionate, and legally permissible.

Personal data may be shared with:

  1. Authorized service providers – such as secure payment processors, cloud-hosting, mailing, analytics, or IT-support providers who process data on our behalf under strict contractual terms;

  2. Auditors, regulators, or tax authorities – where disclosure is required by law;

  3. Program partners or affiliated organizations – only to the extent required to deliver NOVAH Foundation’s charitable projects or humanitarian programs.

All third-party recipients are bound by confidentiality, data-protection, and security obligations consistent with the GDPR, Ghana Act 843, and applicable U.S. privacy principles.

We do not sell, rent, or commercially exploit your personal data under any circumstances.

6. International Data Transfers

As a U.S.-based organization operating and partnering in Africa, personal data may be transferred across national borders between the United States, Ghana, the European Economic Area (EEA), and other relevant jurisdictions.

Whenever personal data is transferred internationally, we ensure appropriate legal and technical safeguards, including:

  1. The use of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or other mechanisms recognized under the GDPR for EEA/UK transfers;

  2. Written data-transfer agreements and due-diligence with partner organizations in Ghana and other countries; and

  3. Continuous assessment of data-handling standards to ensure equivalent protection regardless of where the data is processed.

By engaging with NOVAH Foundation, you acknowledge that such transfers may occur solely for legitimate organizational purposes and with adequate safeguards in place.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected or to comply with applicable legal, accounting, or reporting obligations.

Specifically:

  1. Donor and financial records are retained for seven (7) years, consistent with U.S. charity and tax-compliance requirements;

  2. Operational, volunteer, or partnership data are maintained for the duration of the engagement plus a reasonable administrative period;

  3. Newsletter and contact information are kept until you withdraw consent or unsubscribe;

  4. Technical logs and analytics data are stored only for short-term security and performance monitoring.

Once retention periods expire, data is securely deleted, anonymized, or archived in accordance with industry best practices and regulatory standards.

8. Data Security

We implement a combination of technical, organizational, and administrative safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

Our security framework includes:

  1. SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted through our website and online donation forms;

  2. Secure donation processing exclusively through reputable third-party payment gateways that comply with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards);

  3. Role-based access controls ensuring that only authorized staff and contractors with a legitimate need may access personal data;

  4. Regular monitoring and internal audits to assess data-protection effectiveness and identify emerging risks;

  5. Incident-response procedures to promptly address any suspected data breach.

While we use industry-standard protection, no online transmission or storage system is entirely secure. You acknowledge that data shared over the Internet is transmitted at your own risk, though we take all reasonable measures to mitigate such risks.

9. Your Rights

Depending on where you reside, and subject to applicable law, you may have the following rights concerning your personal data:

  1. Access – to obtain confirmation of whether we hold your personal data and to request a copy of that information;

  2. Rectification – to correct or update incomplete or inaccurate information;

  3. Erasure (“Right to Be Forgotten”) – to request deletion of your personal data where lawful grounds permit;

  4. Restriction of Processing – to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances;

  5. Data Portability – to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format;

  6. Objection – to object to processing based on our legitimate interests or to direct marketing;

  7. Withdrawal of Consent – to withdraw consent at any time for communications or non-essential processing, without affecting prior lawful use;

  8. Complaint – to lodge a complaint with your local Data Protection Authority (for example, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the Ghana Data Protection Commission, or an EU/UK supervisory authority).

Requests can be submitted to info@novahfoundation.org.

We will verify your identity and respond within 30 days, or within the timeframe prescribed by applicable law.

10. Cookies and Analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance functionality, improve user experience, and collect aggregated, anonymized analytics data.

  1. Essential cookies enable basic site functions (e.g., donation form security).

  2. Analytics cookies help us understand site usage and performance trends.

  3. Preference cookies allow the site to remember user settings such as language or region.

You may accept or decline cookies through your browser settings or device controls. Declining non-essential cookies may affect some site features.

Detailed information on the cookies we use and their duration is provided in our forthcoming Cookie Notice (to be linked from this section).

11. Children’s Privacy

Protecting the privacy of children is especially important to us.

Our website and services are not directed to, nor intended for, children under the age of 13 (or under 16 in jurisdictions where parental consent is required).

We do not knowingly collect or process personal data from minors.

If we learn that personal information has been submitted by a child without verified parental or guardian consent, we will promptly delete or anonymize such information from our records and, where appropriate, notify the parent or guardian.

Parents or guardians who believe a child has provided information to NOVAH Foundation should contact us immediately at info@novahfoundation.org.

12. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our operations, technology, or applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

When updates are made, the “Effective Date” at the top of this page will be revised accordingly.

All changes become effective once posted on our official website at https://novahfoundation.org.

We encourage you to review this Policy periodically to stay informed of how we protect your information.

In cases where material changes significantly affect how we process your data, we will provide reasonable notice through our website or by direct communication, where practicable.

13. Contact Information

For any questions, concerns, data requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or how NOVAH Foundation handles your personal data, please contact:

Data Protection Contact

NOVA Hope Foundation

Email: info@novahfoundation.org

Website: https://novahfoundation.org

We take all privacy-related inquiries seriously and will respond within a reasonable timeframe, in accordance with applicable data-protection laws.

If you are based in the European Union, United Kingdom, or Ghana, and you believe your data protection rights have not been adequately addressed, you also have the right to contact or lodge a complaint with your relevant Data Protection Authority:

  1. EU/UK Users: Your national or regional supervisory authority under the GDPR;

  2. Ghana Users: The Ghana Data Protection Commission (DPC) – https://www.dataprotection.org.gh.

14. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy and any dispute arising from or relating to it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States of America, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles.

However, for individuals located in other jurisdictions, the protections afforded by the Ghana Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843) and the General Data Protection Regulation (EU/UK GDPR) shall apply where relevant and not in conflict with the above.

By interacting with NOVAH Foundation, you acknowledge and agree that any processing of your personal data will be undertaken in compliance with these applicable data-protection frameworks.