Privacy Policy
Last updated: 12 October 2026
1. Who we are
WORK 4 A LIVING (“W4AL”, “we”, “us”) is a global nonprofit helping unemployed people find work or start businesses through practical training. This website is operated by WORK 4 A LIVING Inc., a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and WORK 4 A LIVING Int., a nonprofit organization registered in South Africa (NPO number 067-361-NPO), based in George. Both act as the data controller (or “responsible party”) for personal information collected through this website.
Contact: info@work4aliving.org
Address: WORK 4 A LIVING Int., Cnr CJ Langenhoven Drive and Palm Lane, George, South Africa, 6529
This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we protect it, and the choices and rights you have, wherever you live.
2. Information we collect
Information you give us: When you fill in a contact or enquiry form, apply for a course, ask about becoming a facilitator or partner, request a document, or make a donation, you may give us your name, email address, phone number, country or town, and the details of your message. If you share a story or photo with us, we collect that too.
Information collected automatically: When you visit the site, we and our website provider collect technical information such as your IP address, browser and device type, pages viewed, links clicked, referring website, and approximate location (country or city level). We collect this through cookies and similar technologies.
Donation information: Donations are processed by third-party payment providers, such as PayFast for South African donations and other secure processors for international gifts. We do not see or store your full card or bank details. We receive confirmation of your gift and the details needed to record it and send a receipt.
Information from third parties: If you contact us through social media or embedded content (such as YouTube), those platforms may share limited information with us under their own policies.
3. How we use your information
We use your information to:
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respond to your enquiries and connect you with your nearest W4AL Centre
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enrol and support students, facilitators, employers and partners
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process donations, issue receipts and meet legal and financial reporting duties
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share news, stories and updates about our work, where you have asked for them or agreed to receive them
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understand how our website is used and improve it
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keep the website secure and prevent fraud or misuse
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meet our legal obligations
4. Our legal bases for using your information
Where laws such as the EU and UK GDPR apply, we rely on: your consent (for example, marketing emails and non-essential cookies); our legitimate interests (running and improving our nonprofit programs and website, in ways that do not override your rights); performance of a request you have made (such as responding to an enquiry); and legal obligations (such as financial record keeping). Where South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and similar laws apply, we process information lawfully, for a specific purpose, and with your consent or another lawful justification.
5. Cookies and analytics
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to make the site work, remember your preferences, and understand how visitors use it. Essential cookies are needed for the site to function. Analytics cookies are only used with your consent where the law requires it. You can accept or decline non-essential cookies through our cookie banner, and you can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect how parts of the site work.
6. Sharing your information
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with:
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our website and email service providers (such as Wix) and other trusted service providers who help us run the site, send emails, process payments and keep records, and who may only use it on our instructions
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W4AL Centres and staff, when needed to respond to your enquiry (for example, passing on your details to your local facilitator)
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employers, only when you have chosen to be put forward for a job opportunity
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professional advisers, auditors, regulators, courts or law enforcement, where we are legally required to
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another organization, if W4AL were to merge or restructure, with the same protections applying
7. International transfers
W4AL operates in many countries, so your information may be stored or processed outside the country where you live, including in the United States and South Africa. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards for these transfers, such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent protections, so your information stays protected to the standard this policy describes.
8. How long we keep your information
We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described above, including legal, accounting and reporting requirements. For example, enquiry messages are typically kept for up to 24 months, and donation records are kept for as long as financial and tax law requires. When information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymise it.
9. Security
We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information from loss, misuse, unauthorized access and disclosure. No website or online system can be guaranteed completely secure, so please take care when sharing information online.
10. Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
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ask what personal information we hold about you and request a copy
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ask us to correct information that is wrong or incomplete
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ask us to delete your information
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object to or ask us to restrict how we use it
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receive your information in a portable format
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withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting what we did before you withdrew it
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opt out of marketing emails (every email includes an unsubscribe link)
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opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
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complain to your local data protection authority, such as the Information Regulator in South Africa, the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK, or your EU supervisory authority
These rights are provided under laws such as the GDPR, UK GDPR, POPIA, the California Consumer Privacy Act, Brazil’s LGPD, and data protection laws in countries like Kenya and Uganda. To use any of them, email info@work4aliving.org. We may need to confirm your identity first, and we will respond within the time required by the law that applies to you. You will not be treated unfairly for using your rights.
11. Children’s privacy
Our website is not directed at children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has given us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it. Where we feature a child or young person in a story or photo, we do so only with the consent of a parent or guardian.
12. Stories, photos and videos
When we share a student’s or graduate’s story, photo or video on our website or social media, we do so with their permission. If you appear on our website and want your story or image changed or removed, email info@work4aliving.org and we will act on it promptly.
13. Links to other websites
Our website may link to or embed other sites and services, such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and PayFast. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, so please read their policies before sharing information with them.
14. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The “last updated” date at the top shows when it last changed. If we make a significant change, we will make that clear on our website.
15. Contact us
Questions or requests about your privacy can be sent to info@work4aliving.org, or by post to WORK 4 A LIVING Int., Cnr CJ Langenhoven Drive and Palm Lane, George, South Africa, 6529. Our Information Officer for South Africa can be contacted at info@work4aliving.org.