PRIVACY POLICY

Himalayan Community Project ("HCP", "we", "our", or "us") is a registered non-profit organization based in Kathmandu, Nepal. We are committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of everyone who visits our website, volunteers with us, donates to our programs, or engages with us in any way.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have over your own data. By using our website at himalayancommunityproject.org.np, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please discontinue your use of our website.

Information You Provide to Us

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Fill out a volunteer interest or application form
• Donate (name, contact details, payment information)
• Subscribe to our newsletter or updates
• Submit a "Refer a Patient" form under our Helping Hands initiative
• Contact us through our contact page or by email
• Register for our Hike for Health program or any community event

The types of information we may collect include:

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Mailing or physical address
• Nationality and country of residence
• Occupation or professional background (for volunteers)
• Medical or health-related information (only when submitted voluntarily for the Helping Hands program, with explicit consent)
• Payment information (processed securely through third-party payment gateways; we do not store card details)

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically through standard web technologies:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring website or search engine
• Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)

This information is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies and is used to improve website performance and user experience.

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok if you interact with our social media pages or share content related to HCP.

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To process donations and issue receipts or acknowledgements
• To match and communicate with volunteers and connect them with the right programs
• To manage sponsorship relationships between donors and sponsored students or teachers
• To process Helping Hands referrals and connect patients with appropriate support
• To send program updates, newsletters, and impact reports (only to those who have opted in)
• To respond to enquiries and messages sent through our contact channels
• To improve our website and understand how visitors are using it
• To comply with legal obligations under the laws of Nepal
• To prevent fraud and protect the security of our donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries

We will never use your personal information for purposes other than those stated above without first obtaining your explicit consent.

Himalayan Community Project does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party.

We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• With payment processors (such as eSewa, Khalti, or international payment gateways) solely to complete your donation transaction
• With program staff and coordinators who need access to your information to manage your volunteer placement or sponsorship
• With government authorities if required by law or in response to a lawful request
• With trusted service providers who help us operate our website (such as hosting providers), under strict confidentiality agreements
• With your explicit consent, such as when you agree to have your story or photo shared as part of our public communications

When we share information with sponsored students or beneficiary families (for example, sharing a sponsor's name), we do so only with the consent of both parties.

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve your experience. Cookies help us remember your preferences, understand how you use the site, and serve you more relevant content.

Types of cookies we use:

• Essential cookies — Required for the website to function properly
• Analytics cookies — Help us understand page traffic and visitor behavior (via tools such as Google Analytics)
• Preference cookies — Remember your language or display settings

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please note that disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of our website.

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy or as required by law.

• Donation records are retained for a minimum of 7 years for financial compliance purposes
• Volunteer records are retained for 3 years after the end of your engagement with HCP
• Newsletter subscriptions are retained until you unsubscribe
• Website analytics data is retained for up to 26 months

We take the security of your personal information seriously. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, loss, alteration, or disclosure.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security and encourage you to be cautious when sharing sensitive information online.

Payment information is handled exclusively through secure, encrypted third-party payment gateways and is never stored on our servers.

Himalayan Community Project's website is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without the consent of a parent or guardian.

Information about beneficiary children (such as sponsored students) is handled with the utmost care, shared only with their designated sponsors, and never published publicly without the explicit consent of the child's family.

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct any inaccurate or incomplete information
• Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Withdraw consent for any processing you previously agreed to
• Unsubscribe from our newsletter or communications at any time
• Lodge a complaint with a relevant data protection authority

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:
📧 [email protected]
📞 +977-1-4415445

We will respond to all requests within 30 days.

Our website may contain links to external websites — such as partner organizations, social media platforms, or news articles. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external sites and encourage you to read their privacy policies before sharing any personal information.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make significant changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email.

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

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy, please reach out to us:

Himalayan Community Project
House No: 262, 2nd Floor, Galkopakha,
Kathmandu, Nepal

📧 [email protected]
📞 +977-1-4415445
🌐 himalayancommunityproject.org.np