Privacy Policy
WEDGE Africa is committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who visits our website or engages with our work. This policy explains clearly what data we collect, why we collect it, and what your rights are.
Who we are
WEDGE Africa (Women Empowerment for Digital and Green Economy in Africa) is a registered non-governmental organisation in Ghana. We advance the economic empowerment of women vegetable farmers through our GROW programme — a field-based enterprise development initiative operating in the Ashanti Region.
For the purposes of this policy, WEDGE Africa is the data controller — the organisation responsible for deciding how and why personal data is processed. Our registered address and contact details are set out in Section 12.
We operate primarily under Ghana's Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843). Where we engage with individuals in the United Kingdom or European Union — including donors, researchers, and partners — we apply data protection standards consistent with the UK GDPR and EU GDPR respectively.
What data we collect
We collect only the data we genuinely need. The table below sets out what we collect and how.
| Data category | Specific data | How collected |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | First name, last name | Partner With Us form |
| Contact | Email address, phone number (optional) | Partner With Us form |
| Professional | Organisation name, job title, country | Partner With Us form (optional) |
| Enquiry content | The message you write to us | Partner With Us form |
| Communication preference | Newsletter opt-in (yes/no) | Partner With Us form checkbox |
| Source | How you heard about WEDGE Africa | Partner With Us form (optional) |
| Technical | IP address, browser type, pages visited | Automatically via web hosting logs |
Why we collect it
| Purpose | Data used |
|---|---|
| Responding to partnership enquiries Reading your message and replying to you |
Name, email, phone, organisation, message |
| Sending the newsletter Monthly updates on WEDGE Africa evidence, field notes, and programme news — only if you opted in |
Name, email address |
| Internal records Keeping track of who has engaged with WEDGE Africa for relationship management purposes |
Name, organisation, email, enquiry type |
| Website improvement Understanding how the site is used so we can improve it |
Technical/analytics data (anonymised where possible) |
| Legal compliance Meeting obligations under Ghanaian law and applicable international standards |
As required by law |
Legal basis for processing
Under Ghana's Data Protection Act 2012 and, where applicable, the UK GDPR and EU GDPR, we rely on the following legal bases:
| Activity | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| Responding to your enquiry | Legitimate interests — you contacted us expecting a response |
| Sending the newsletter | Consent — you opted in via the checkbox on our form |
| Keeping partnership records | Legitimate interests — managing relationships with funders and partners |
| Website analytics | Legitimate interests — improving our website |
| Legal compliance | Legal obligation — where required by applicable law |
Where we rely on consent — specifically for the newsletter — you may withdraw that consent at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any newsletter email or by emailing us at [email protected]. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
Third-party services
We use a small number of trusted third-party services to operate this website. We share only the minimum data necessary with each.
| Service | Purpose | Data shared | Privacy policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web3Forms | Processes and routes contact form submissions to our email inbox | All form fields you complete | web3forms.com/privacy |
| WordPress / Avada | Website hosting and content management | Standard web server logs (IP address, browser) | Your hosting provider's policy |
| Google Fonts | Loading the Poppins typeface used on this website | Your IP address is sent to Google's servers when the font loads | policies.google.com/privacy |
If WEDGE Africa is ever required to disclose personal data by law, court order, or regulatory authority, we will do so only to the extent required and will notify you where legally permitted.
How long we keep your data
| Data type | Retention period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Partnership enquiry (no follow-up) | 12 months from last contact | In case the conversation resumes |
| Active partnership records | Duration of the relationship + 3 years | Organisational accountability |
| Newsletter subscribers | Until you unsubscribe | Consent-based — you remain in control |
| Website logs (technical) | 90 days | Security and performance monitoring |
When the retention period ends, your data is securely deleted or anonymised. We do not retain data beyond what is necessary for the purposes described in this policy.
Your rights
Under Ghana's Data Protection Act 2012 and, where applicable, UK/EU GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data. We will respond to any request within 30 days.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at [email protected]. We will not charge a fee for reasonable requests. If you are in Ghana, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission of Ghana. If you are in the UK or EU, you may also contact your relevant supervisory authority.
Security
We take the security of your data seriously. Our website uses HTTPS encryption for all data in transit. Form submissions are processed by Web3Forms over encrypted connections. Access to email inboxes containing personal data is protected by strong passwords and, where supported, two-factor authentication.
No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we take all reasonable precautions, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that is likely to affect your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the relevant authority in line with applicable legal timescales.
Cookies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by a website. This website uses the following types of cookies:
| Type | Purpose | Essential? |
|---|---|---|
| Session cookies | Required for the website to function — deleted when you close your browser | Yes |
| WordPress cookies | Set by the WordPress platform to manage logged-in sessions (admin users only) | Yes (admin only) |
| Google Fonts | Google may set cookies when loading the Poppins font. We have no control over these. | No |
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of this website. We do not currently use advertising cookies or behavioural tracking cookies.
Children's data
This website is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has submitted data through this website, please contact us immediately at [email protected] and we will delete it promptly.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise your data rights, or have a concern about how we have handled your personal data, please contact us:
We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within 30 days. If your concern is not resolved to your satisfaction, you have the right to complain to the Data Protection Commission of Ghana or, if you are in the UK or EU, to your local supervisory authority.