Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Zedek ("we," "us," "our") is committed to protecting your personal information and your child's personal information. This privacy policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we store it, and your rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), No. 4 of 2013.

By using our website (zedekkids.co.za), our web application (app.zedekkids.co.za), our webinar registration pages, or any of our digital services, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this policy.

2. What information we collect

Information you provide directly

About you (the parent or caregiver):

• First name and surname
• Email address
• Phone number (if provided, e.g., for WhatsApp reminders)
• Responses to caregiver wellbeing screening questions (PHQ-2, GAD-2, PSOC, Parental Burnout Screen, Role Strain & Support Screen) — these are aggregated scores only, not clinical diagnoses

About your child:

• Child's first name (or nickname)
• Child's date of birth or age band
• Child's gender (optional)
• Developmental milestone responses across four pillars (Physical, Personal, Potential, Purpose)
• Assessment scores and results

Information collected automatically

When you visit our website or use our application, we may automatically collect:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent, and interactions
• Referral source (how you found us)

This is collected via Google Analytics (GA4) and, where applicable, the Meta Pixel for advertising purposes. You can opt out of analytics tracking by using a browser extension such as Google Analytics Opt-Out.

3. How we use your information

To provide our services: Processing your developmental assessments, generating results, and providing resource recommendations.

To communicate with you: Sending confirmation emails, webinar reminders, assessment reports, and (with your consent) parenting resources and Zedek updates.

To improve our platform: Analysing aggregate, anonymised usage patterns to improve the user experience, content, and assessment tools. Individual data is never shared in identifiable form.

To process payments: When you purchase a programme (e.g., the Intentional Parent Masterclass), your payment is processed by PayFast. We do not store your credit card or banking details. PayFast's privacy policy governs payment data.

To run advertising: If you visit our website, the Meta Pixel may be used to show you relevant Zedek advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. You can control this through your Facebook ad preferences.

4. How we protect your information

• All data is transmitted over HTTPS (encrypted in transit)
• Our web application and hosting providers use industry-standard security measures
• Access to personal data is limited to authorised personnel only
• We do not store credit card information — all payments are processed by PayFast, a PCI-DSS compliant payment processor
• Caregiver wellbeing screening responses are stored as aggregate scores, not as free-text clinical notes

5. Who we share your information with

We may share your information with the following service providers, solely for the purpose of delivering our services:

• FluentCRM — email marketing and automation (runs within our WordPress server — your data stays on our infrastructure)
• Brevo — email delivery service (your name and email address for sending communications you have opted into)
• PayFast — payment processing (payment details only, handled entirely by PayFast)
• Google Analytics — anonymised website usage data
• Meta (Facebook/Instagram) — anonymised pixel data for advertising (you can opt out via Facebook ad settings)
• Afrihost / Hetzner — web hosting infrastructure

These providers are bound by their own privacy policies and data protection obligations.

6. Your child's information — special protections

We understand that the information you provide about your child is deeply personal and sensitive. We apply the following additional protections:

• Your child's developmental assessment data is associated with your account only — it is not shared with any third party, including schools, medical practitioners, or government agencies, unless you explicitly request it.
• We do not use your child's data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose other than generating your assessment results and resource recommendations.
• You may request deletion of your child's data at any time (see Section 8 below).
• We do not collect information directly from children. All information is provided by the parent or caregiver.

7. Retention of information

• Account data (name, email): Retained for as long as your account is active. Deleted within 30 days of a deletion request.
• Assessment data (milestone responses, scores): Retained for as long as your account is active. Deleted within 30 days of a deletion request.
• Email marketing data: Retained until you unsubscribe. You can unsubscribe from any email by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom.
• Payment records: Retained for 5 years as required by South African tax law (Income Tax Act).

8. Your rights under POPIA

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the following rights:

• Right to access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you and your child.
• Right to correction: You may request that we correct any inaccurate personal information.
• Right to deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information and your child's assessment data. We will comply within 30 days, subject to any legal retention requirements.
• Right to object: You may object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes.
• Right to withdraw consent: You may withdraw your consent to data processing at any time.
• Right to lodge a complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at: privacy@zedekkids.co.za

9. Cookies

• Essential cookies: Required for the website and application to function (session management, authentication).
• Analytics cookies: Google Analytics cookies to understand how visitors use our site (anonymised).
• Marketing cookies: Meta Pixel cookies to enable targeted advertising on Facebook and Instagram.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some website functionality.

10. Third-party links

Our website and communications may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., YouTube, PayFast, external resources). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top indicates when the policy was last revised. We will notify you of material changes via email if you are a registered user.

12. Contact us

© 2026 Zedek. This privacy policy is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. For legal counsel regarding POPIA compliance, consult a qualified South African attorney.