Privacy Policy

Welcome to Meghdhanush Seva Trust ("we," "our," or "us"). 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 visit our website, use our services, or participate in our charitable programs.

As a charitable organization providing essential healthcare support to pilgrims during Bhadarvi Poonam and community welfare services, we recognize the sensitive nature of the information we collect and handle. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of data protection and transparency.

By accessing or using our website or services, you agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our website or services.

Personal Information You Provide

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Make a Donation: Name, email address, phone number, billing address, and payment information
• Request Services: Name, contact details, and information about your needs (medical equipment, healthcare support)
• Volunteer: Name, contact information, skills, availability, and areas of interest
• Use Our Healthcare Services: Basic health information necessary for providing appropriate care
• Borrow Equipment: Name, contact details, and information about equipment needed (wheelchair, walker, bed, etc.)
• Contact Us: Name, email address, phone number, and the content of your messages or inquiries
• Subscribe to Updates: Email address and communication preferences

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information, including:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, click patterns, and referring URLs
• Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: See our Cookies section below for details

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Payment processors regarding donation transactions
• Analytics providers about website usage
• Partners and collaborating organizations for event coordination

We use the information we collect for various purposes aligned with our charitable mission:

Charitable Services

• To provide healthcare support to pilgrims during Bhadarvi Poonam
• To coordinate the lending of medical equipment (beds, wheelchairs, walkers, sticks)
• To organize medical camps and community welfare programs
• To match volunteers with appropriate service opportunities
• To respond to service requests and emergency situations

Donations & Financial Operations

• To process donations securely and efficiently
• To issue tax receipts and donation acknowledgments
• To comply with financial reporting and legal obligations
• To maintain records for transparency and accountability

Communication

• To send updates about our programs and Bhadarvi Poonam activities
• To share impact stories and how donations are being used
• To respond to inquiries and provide customer support
• To send newsletters and fundraising appeals (with your consent)
• To notify you about urgent needs or emergency situations

Website & Service Improvement

• To analyze usage patterns and improve website functionality
• To enhance user experience and accessibility
• To develop new programs and services based on community needs
• To conduct research on how to better serve pilgrims and the underprivileged

Security & Legal Compliance

• To detect, prevent, and address fraud and security issues
• To comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• To protect the rights and safety of our beneficiaries, volunteers, and staff

Healthcare Data Protection

When you use our healthcare services during Bhadarvi Poonam or at our medical camps, we may collect basic health information necessary to provide appropriate care. We handle this sensitive information with the utmost care and confidentiality.

How We Handle Medical Information:

• Consent: We collect health information only with your consent or when necessary for emergency care
• Minimal Collection: We collect only essential information needed to provide appropriate medical support
• Confidentiality: Medical information is kept confidential and accessed only by authorized healthcare providers
• Limited Sharing: Health information is never shared with third parties except as required by law or for emergency medical care
• Secure Storage: Medical records are stored securely with restricted access
• Retention: Medical information is retained only as long as necessary for healthcare purposes and legal requirements

Open Camp Limitations

Please note that during Bhadarvi Poonam, our medical camps operate in open, public settings. While we strive to maintain privacy, complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in these emergency-response environments. If you require private medical consultation, please request to speak with our medical staff in a designated area.

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

Service Providers

We may share information with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website, processing donations, sending emails, or providing services, provided they agree to keep this information confidential.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our beneficiaries, volunteers, or staff.

Partner Organizations

With your consent, we may share limited information with partner organizations for coordinated event planning or collaborative charitable activities.

Donor Recognition

Unless you request anonymity, we may publicly recognize donors on our website, publications, or at events. You can opt-out of public recognition by contacting us.

Aggregated Data

We may share aggregated, non-personally identifiable information about our programs' reach and impact for reporting and fundraising purposes.

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our website and store certain information. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us improve your experience.

Types of Cookies We Use:

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function properly, including secure donation processing and form submissions
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website to improve usability (Google Analytics)
• Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences, language settings, and donation history
• Advertising Cookies: Used to display relevant advertisements about our programs and charitable work (Google AdSense)

Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or delete existing cookies. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website, particularly donation processing and form submissions.

To learn more about cookies and how to manage them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

We use trusted third-party services to help us operate effectively and serve our mission. These services have their own privacy policies governing how they use information.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to track and analyze website traffic, helping us understand how people find and use our site. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect information anonymously and report website trends. You can opt-out by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Google AdSense Disclosures

Payment Processors

We use secure, PCI-compliant third-party payment processors to handle donations. We do not store complete credit card information on our servers. All payment information is encrypted and securely processed by our payment partners. Payment processors may retain transaction information as required by law and their own privacy policies.

Email Services

We use email service providers to send newsletters, donation receipts, and program updates. These providers have access to email addresses and communication preferences but are contractually obligated to protect this information.

These third-party services have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review their policies to understand how they handle your information:

• Google Privacy Policy
• Payment processor privacy policies (varies by provider)

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

Security Measures Include:

• Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission between your browser and our servers
• Secure Servers: Hosting on secure servers with regular security updates and patches
• Access Controls: Strict access controls limiting who can view your information
• Authentication: Multi-factor authentication for administrative access
• Security Monitoring: Regular security audits and monitoring for suspicious activity
• Staff Training: Employee training on data protection and privacy best practices
• Secure Payment Processing: PCI-DSS compliant payment processing
• Medical Data Protection: Enhanced security for sensitive health information

Limitations

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information using commercially acceptable means, we cannot guarantee absolute security. We cannot be held liable for security breaches beyond our reasonable control.

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Retention Periods:

• Donation Records: Retained for 7 years or as required by tax and financial regulations
• Medical Information: Retained for legal and healthcare requirements, then securely destroyed
• Equipment Lending Records: Retained for 2 years for inventory and accountability purposes
• Communication Records: Retained for 2 years unless longer retention is necessary
• Website Analytics: Typically retained for 26 months (Google Analytics default)
• Marketing Preferences: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion

When information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention policy and applicable laws.

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access & Transparency

• Access: Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Explanation: Request information about how we use your data

Data Management

• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used format

Communication Preferences

• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe link in emails
• Preferences: Update your communication preferences by contacting us
• Donor Recognition: Request to remain anonymous or remove your name from public donor lists

Control & Objection

• Object: Object to processing of your personal information for certain purposes
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for processing where we rely on consent

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the Contact Us section below. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

Our website and services are not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent.

While we provide healthcare services to pilgrims of all ages, including children, we collect health information for minors only with parental or guardian consent, except in emergency situations where consent cannot be reasonably obtained.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us immediately. We will take steps to delete such information from our systems.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons.

We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date
• Sending an email notification to registered users (for significant changes)
• Displaying a prominent notice on our website

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of our website or services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.