Privacy Policy

TSI collects information about people in order to run our education, livelihood, peacebuilding and girl empowerment programmes. In a conflict-affected area, a name, an ethnic group, a location or a protection concern can put a person at risk if it reaches the wrong hands.

We collect, use, store, share and destroy personal information in ways that respect dignity and keep people safe. Protecting people always comes before convenience or donor requests.

We collect personal information only when it is needed to deliver a service, check that programmes are fair and effective, or meet a donor or legal requirement.

• Every question on our forms has a clear programme purpose.
• We collect information directly from the person wherever possible, in private.
• We do not ask about ethnicity, political views, religion or detailed displacement history unless it is essential and the person has agreed.

People have the right to decide whether TSI may collect and use their information. Consent must be informed, freely given and specific.

• We explain aloud, in a language the person understands, what will be collected, why, and who will see it.
• For those who cannot read, we accept spoken consent witnessed by a second staff member.
• Consent can be withdrawn at any time, and saying no will never affect access to services.

We keep personal information safe from loss, theft, damage and misuse.

• Paper records are kept in locked cabinets or boxes. Keys are held by named staff.
• Phones, tablets and laptops used for TSI work are password or fingerprint locked.
• Access follows the need-to-know rule: staff see only the information required for their role.
• Data is backed up regularly to protect against power cuts and device failures.

We share personal information only when there is a clear reason, a legal or donor requirement, or the person has agreed.

• Donors and partners usually receive statistics and stories, not names.
• We never give personal information to anyone outside TSI without approval from the Executive Director, who weighs the risk to the people concerned.
• All partners who receive personal information sign a data sharing agreement.

Photographs, videos and stories help us explain our work, but they can also expose people to harm.

• We take or use images and stories only with clear, recorded permission.
• Stories show people with dignity and as active agents of change, not only as victims.
• We never share details such as full names, exact locations or family relationships that could expose someone to risk.
• Images of children need the permission of a parent or caregiver and the child.

Anyone may ask TSI what information it holds about them, why, and who has seen it. You may also:

• Ask for mistakes to be corrected.
• Ask us to stop using your information.
• Ask for it to be deleted.

We will answer within 30 days. Anyone who believes their information has been mishandled can complain through our feedback channels.

A data breach happens when personal information is lost, stolen, seen by someone who should not see it, or sent to the wrong person.

• Staff report any breach within 24 hours, without fear of punishment for honest mistakes.
• We act quickly to stop further harm, assess who may be at risk, and tell those affected.
• We record what happened and what will change so it does not happen again.