Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 11 September 2026
Last Updated: 11 September 2026

AYCADO respects the privacy of individuals who visit its website, participate in its programs, communicate with the organization, apply for opportunities, engage in learning activities, or otherwise interact with its services and platforms.

This Privacy Policy explains how AYCADO may collect, use, store, protect, disclose, and manage personal information obtained through its website and related digital activities.

AYCADO's approach to privacy is guided by the principle that personal information should be handled responsibly, transparently, securely, and only for legitimate purposes connected with the organization's work.

AYCADO's Organizational Framework recognizes data privacy as an institutional responsibility and provides for appropriate collection, use, storage, access, sharing, retention, and disposal of personal information. It also recognizes the importance of confidentiality, consent, responsible communication, participant protection, and appropriate information security.

1. About AYCADO

AYCADO is a learning and opportunity organization founded in March 2024 by Founder and Chief Executive Officer James Ruzii Gonwokay.

AYCADO's work is based on the belief that education becomes more valuable when people have opportunities to apply knowledge through practice, experience, mentorship, reflection, and access to meaningful opportunities.

The organization supports learning, skills development, career preparation, professional exposure, mentorship, projects, fellowships, digital learning, and related opportunities for young people and young adults.

The website may therefore receive information from individuals who interact with AYCADO as participants, applicants, learners, mentors, volunteers, professionals, partners, donors, employers, institutions, or general visitors.

2. Scope of This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through the AYCADO website, online forms, applications, digital learning activities, communications, registration processes, surveys, feedback mechanisms, and other digital interactions operated or authorized by AYCADO.

It may also apply to information collected when an individual communicates with AYCADO through official email or other organizational communication channels where that information is processed as part of AYCADO's activities.

Certain AYCADO programs, partnerships, events, applications, or services may have additional privacy notices or specific requirements. Where additional notices are provided, they should be read together with this Privacy Policy.

3. Information AYCADO May Collect

The information collected will depend on how you interact with AYCADO.

When you contact AYCADO, apply for a program, register for an activity, request information, participate in a learning activity, or submit another form, AYCADO may collect information such as your name, email address, telephone number, location, educational background, professional interests, career interests, skills, experience, organization or institution, and other information reasonably necessary for the particular purpose.

Where relevant to a particular program, AYCADO may collect information relating to eligibility, participation, learning needs, professional development goals, mentorship interests, project interests, or other information necessary to administer that activity.

AYCADO may also collect information relating to your participation in its programs, including registration information, attendance, completion, learning engagement, feedback, assessments, demonstrated skills, projects completed, mentorship engagement, professional exposure, and follow up information where appropriate.

The Organizational Framework identifies participant records, program evaluation, outcome tracking, safeguarding, reporting, and learning as legitimate organizational functions, while emphasizing that data collection should remain proportionate and respect privacy requirements.

4. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the website, certain technical information may be collected automatically by the website or by services used to operate, secure, analyze, or improve it.

This may include information such as your internet protocol address, browser type, device information, operating system, approximate location, referring website, pages visited, date and time of access, and information concerning how the website is used.

The precise information collected may depend on the website technology, hosting provider, analytics services, security systems, cookies, and other technical tools currently used by AYCADO.

AYCADO should not collect technical information beyond what is reasonably necessary for legitimate website, security, operational, analytical, or organizational purposes.

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The AYCADO website may use cookies or similar technologies to support website functionality, security, performance, preferences, analytics, or other legitimate purposes.

Cookies are small data files that may be stored on your device when you visit a website.

Where applicable, cookies may help AYCADO understand how visitors use the website and identify technical problems or opportunities to improve the user experience.

The use of cookies may depend on the third party technologies integrated into the website at any particular time.

Where legally required, AYCADO will provide appropriate information or obtain consent before using cookies or similar technologies that require consent.

You may be able to manage or restrict cookies through your browser or device settings. Restricting certain cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of the website.

6. Why AYCADO Uses Personal Information

AYCADO may use personal information for legitimate organizational purposes, including responding to inquiries, administering applications, registering participants, delivering programs, communicating with participants, facilitating learning activities, managing mentorship, supporting professional exposure, organizing events, providing requested information, administering digital learning activities, evaluating programs, improving services, managing partnerships, communicating organizational information, maintaining records, protecting participants, maintaining website security, preventing misuse, and meeting applicable legal or contractual obligations.

AYCADO may also use information to understand participant needs and evaluate whether its programs are achieving their intended objectives.

Its Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning approach includes areas such as participation, completion, demonstrated skills, projects, mentorship engagement, professional exposure, participant feedback, and follow up outcomes.

AYCADO will seek to ensure that information is used for purposes that are reasonably connected to the reason for which it was collected or otherwise permitted by applicable law.

7. Consent

Where consent is required, AYCADO will seek consent in an appropriate manner before processing personal information for the relevant purpose.

Where appropriate, consent may be obtained through online forms, registration processes, application forms, written agreements, digital interfaces, or other appropriate methods.

Consent should be informed and connected to a clearly explained purpose.

Under India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, processing of personal data is generally based on consent or certain legitimate uses, and a notice accompanying or preceding a consent request should explain the personal data involved and the purpose of processing.

Where applicable law gives an individual the ability to withdraw consent, AYCADO will provide an appropriate mechanism for doing so.

Withdrawal of consent does not necessarily invalidate processing that was lawfully completed before withdrawal, and certain information may continue to be retained where required or permitted by law or necessary for legitimate organizational purposes.

8. Participant Information

AYCADO may collect participant information to administer its learning and development activities.

This may include information necessary to determine eligibility, communicate program information, provide learning support, facilitate mentorship, organize professional exposure, monitor participation, evaluate learning, provide certificates or completion records where applicable, maintain safeguarding arrangements, and understand program outcomes.

AYCADO will seek to collect information that is relevant and proportionate to the particular program.

It will not intentionally collect unnecessary personal information merely because it is technically possible to do so.

9. Safeguarding and Sensitive Information

AYCADO's work involves young people and may, depending on the program, involve individuals who require additional protection.

The organization's Framework therefore places particular emphasis on participant safety, professional boundaries, consent, reporting and response procedures, protection from harassment and exploitation, responsible photography and communications, data privacy, confidentiality, and clear escalation channels. Where programs involve minors, additional child protection requirements should apply.

In limited circumstances, AYCADO may need to process additional information where this is necessary for safeguarding, accessibility, participant support, emergency response, legal compliance, or another legitimate and lawful purpose.

Such information should receive appropriate protection and access should be limited to individuals who have a legitimate reason to handle it.

10. Photography, Video and Participant Stories

AYCADO may photograph or record activities, events, training sessions, workshops, projects, ceremonies, interviews, or other organizational activities for legitimate communication, documentation, learning, reporting, or promotional purposes.

AYCADO's Framework requires participant stories to be shared with appropriate consent and photography and video to be used responsibly.

Where consent is required, AYCADO will seek appropriate permission before using identifiable photographs, videos, testimonials, or personal stories.

Additional protections may apply where children or other individuals requiring heightened protection are involved.

If you have concerns about the use of your image, story, testimonial, or other identifiable information, you may contact AYCADO through its official communication channel.

11. How AYCADO Shares Personal Information

AYCADO does not intend to sell personal information as a commercial product.

Personal information may be shared where reasonably necessary to provide a service, administer a program, operate digital systems, facilitate a legitimate organizational activity, meet a contractual obligation, protect participants, comply with applicable law, or otherwise fulfill a lawful purpose.

Depending on the activity, information may be shared with authorized staff members, facilitators, mentors, service providers, technology providers, professional partners, educational institutions, employers, development partners, or other organizations involved in delivering a specific program or service.

AYCADO will seek to limit information shared to what is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

AYCADO will not knowingly disclose personal information to unrelated third parties simply because that information is available.

12. Service Providers and Technology Providers

AYCADO may use external service providers to support website hosting, email, communication, digital learning, data storage, cybersecurity, analytics, registration, payment processing, document management, or other organizational functions.

Where such providers process personal information on AYCADO's behalf, AYCADO should take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate contractual, technical, organizational, and security safeguards are in place.

Third party providers may have their own privacy policies and terms governing their services.

13. International Data Transfers

Because AYCADO may work with individuals, professionals, institutions, partners, technology providers, and organizations in different countries, personal information may in some circumstances be processed or stored outside India.

Where information is transferred internationally, AYCADO will seek to comply with applicable legal requirements and maintain appropriate safeguards.

The specific countries or service providers involved may change as AYCADO's technology and partnership environment develops.

14. Data Security

AYCADO recognizes information security as an important part of responsible data management.

Reasonable technical and organizational measures should be used to protect personal information against unauthorized access, misuse, alteration, loss, disclosure, destruction, or other inappropriate processing.

Security measures may include appropriate access controls, authentication, secure systems, confidentiality requirements, backups, monitoring, staff awareness, and other measures proportionate to the nature and sensitivity of the information.

However, no internet based system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

AYCADO's Framework specifically identifies information security, cybersecurity, data protection, confidentiality, and responsible technology use as important institutional responsibilities.

15. Access to Personal Information

Where applicable law provides such rights, individuals may request information about personal data held about them and how it is being processed.

AYCADO will handle legitimate requests in accordance with applicable law and its operational procedures.

Requests may be subject to reasonable identity verification and applicable legal limitations.

16. Correction of Personal Information

If you believe that personal information held by AYCADO is inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated, you may contact AYCADO and request appropriate correction where applicable.

AYCADO may need to verify the identity of the requester before making changes to personal information.

17. Withdrawal of Consent

Where processing is based on consent, individuals may have the right to withdraw that consent, subject to applicable law.

A withdrawal request should clearly identify the information or processing activity concerned.

Withdrawal of consent may affect AYCADO's ability to provide certain services, participate in particular programs, maintain particular records, or continue particular communications where the information is necessary for that purpose.

18. Deletion and Retention

AYCADO will retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, for legitimate organizational needs, to fulfill contractual or legal obligations, to protect rights, to maintain appropriate records, or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

AYCADO's Framework provides for a Records Retention Procedure covering the classification, storage, retention, access, archiving, and secure disposal of organizational records.

When personal information is no longer required and there is no lawful reason to retain it, AYCADO should take appropriate steps to securely delete, anonymize, archive, or otherwise dispose of it.

Retention periods may differ depending on the type of information and the purpose for which it is held.

19. Children's and Young People's Privacy

AYCADO's work is focused significantly on young people and may involve participants who are minors.

Where a program involves minors, AYCADO will apply additional safeguarding and child protection requirements appropriate to the activity and applicable law.

Where parental or guardian consent is legally required, AYCADO will establish an appropriate process for obtaining and documenting that consent.

AYCADO will seek to avoid collecting unnecessary personal information from children and will apply additional care to the publication or sharing of identifiable information, photographs, videos, stories, and other participant information.

20. Communications

If you provide your contact information to AYCADO, the organization may use it to respond to your inquiry, administer a program, provide information you requested, communicate important participation information, or otherwise communicate for a legitimate organizational purpose.

Where marketing or promotional communications require consent under applicable law, AYCADO will provide an appropriate consent mechanism.

You may request to stop receiving non essential communications from AYCADO.

21. Research, Monitoring and Evaluation

AYCADO may use participant and program information for research, monitoring, evaluation, organizational learning, and service improvement.

The purpose is to understand whether programs are being delivered effectively, whether participants are benefiting from them, what can be improved, and what lessons can inform future work.

Where possible and appropriate, reporting and research should use aggregated, anonymized, or otherwise appropriately protected information rather than unnecessarily identifying individual participants.

AYCADO's Framework emphasizes evidence based learning and specifically states that the organization should avoid claiming impact without evidence.

22. Data Breaches and Security Incidents

If AYCADO becomes aware of a personal data breach or significant information security incident, it will assess the incident and take appropriate action in accordance with applicable law and its internal procedures.

Where notification is required, AYCADO will make appropriate notifications within the applicable legal requirements.

The organization may also take measures to contain the incident, investigate its cause, strengthen security controls, protect affected individuals, and prevent recurrence.

23. Third Party Websites

The AYCADO website may contain links to external websites, platforms, employers, educational institutions, partners, social media services, or other third party resources.

AYCADO is not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites that it does not control.

Before submitting personal information to another organization, you should review that organization's privacy policy and terms.

24. Social Media and External Platforms

AYCADO may maintain accounts or pages on external social media and digital platforms.

Interactions with those platforms are governed by the privacy policies and terms of the respective platform providers.

Information you voluntarily make public on an external platform may become accessible to other users according to that platform's settings and policies.

AYCADO cannot guarantee the privacy of information that you independently publish on external platforms.

25. Changes to This Privacy Policy

AYCADO may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in its programs, technology, organizational structure, legal requirements, data practices, or other relevant circumstances.

The updated version will be published on the website with a revised date.

Where a material change requires additional notice or consent under applicable law, AYCADO will take appropriate steps to provide that notice or obtain the necessary consent.

26. Your Responsibility

Individuals using AYCADO's website and services should provide information that is accurate and relevant to the purpose for which it is requested.

You should not knowingly submit another person's personal information without appropriate authority or permission.

You should also take reasonable care when sharing sensitive information online and use official AYCADO communication channels when submitting information.

27. Complaints and Privacy Concerns

If you have a concern about how AYCADO has collected, used, stored, disclosed, or otherwise handled your personal information, you are encouraged to contact AYCADO so that the matter can be reviewed and addressed appropriately.

Where applicable law provides a formal complaint or grievance mechanism, individuals may also exercise those rights through the appropriate legal or regulatory process.

India's data protection framework provides mechanisms concerning individual rights and complaints, and AYCADO's privacy arrangements should provide an appropriate channel through which individuals can exercise applicable rights.

28. Contact AYCADO

For questions, requests, concerns, or complaints relating to this Privacy Policy or the handling of personal information, please contact:

AYCADO

Email: info@aycado.org

Telephone: +91 73034 23700

Headquarters: 1000 Central Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa

For a formal privacy request, please clearly state the nature of your request and provide sufficient information for AYCADO to understand and respond to it.

29. Our Commitment to Responsible Data Use

AYCADO believes that trust is essential to meaningful learning, professional development, mentorship, partnership, and opportunity creation.

Personal information entrusted to AYCADO should therefore be treated as a responsibility rather than simply as organizational data.

The organization seeks to collect information thoughtfully, use it for legitimate purposes, protect it appropriately, respect individual rights, maintain confidentiality, and avoid unnecessary collection or disclosure.

This approach is consistent with AYCADO's broader institutional philosophy, in which professionalism, integrity, accountability, participant protection, responsible resource management, continuous learning, and ethical practice are intended to guide organizational development.

Important legal note before publishing

I would not publish this as the final legal version without one legal review. India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act and the 2025 Rules have a phased commencement framework, so the precise obligations applicable to AYCADO at the date of publication should be confirmed against the current enforcement position. The notified Rules specify different commencement dates for different provisions.

There are also a few AYCADO specific details that should be finalized before publication:

AYCADO's exact legal entity name: if AYCADO is formally registered under a different name, the legal entity should be identified correctly in this policy.

Data protection contact: AYCADO should designate an official person or institutional email for privacy requests rather than relying indefinitely on the general info@aycado.org address.

Actual technologies used by the website: Lovable, hosting, analytics, forms, email services, cookies, payment providers, learning platforms, and other integrations should be audited so the policy accurately reflects what data the website actually collects.

International transfers: this should be confirmed against the actual technology providers AYCADO uses.

Children's data: because AYCADO's mission involves young people, the exact age groups served should be established, particularly if minors will be allowed to register directly through the website.