Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide

When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and/or phone number. If you register as a contributor or partner, we may also collect your location (district), professional details, and payout information for processing payments to you.

When you submit content — such as articles, documents, or business listings — we collect and store that content along with any files you upload.

Information collected automatically

When you use Mthandizi, we automatically collect:

• Usage data — your search queries, pages visited, and interactions with content
• Device information — browser type, operating system, and screen size
• Approximate location — based on your IP address (we do not collect precise GPS location)

We anonymise IP addresses where possible and do not build profiles for advertising purposes.

Information we do NOT collect

We do not collect or store payment card numbers, mobile money PINs, or financial credentials. All payment processing is handled securely by our payment partner. We only receive confirmation of whether a payment was successful.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use your information to:

• Provide our services — deliver AI-powered search results, display relevant content, and process your queries
• Moderate content — review submissions for quality and compliance with our guidelines
• Process payments — handle purchases, payouts to contributors and partners, and subscription management
• Communicate with you — send account notifications, service updates, and alerts you've subscribed to
• Improve our platform — analyse usage patterns to make Mthandizi better for everyone
• Protect our community — detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security threats
• Comply with the law — meet legal and regulatory obligations

We do not sell your personal data to anyone. We do not use your data for targeted advertising.

3. Third-Party Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party providers to operate Mthandizi. These providers only receive the minimum data necessary to perform their specific services:

• Payment processing — to handle transactions securely
• Messaging and communications — to deliver notifications, alerts, and messages
• Email delivery — to send account-related emails and updates
• AI and search services — to process your queries and generate responses
• Cloud hosting and infrastructure — to store data and run our platform securely
• Security services — to protect against bots, fraud, and abuse

Our providers are contractually required to protect your data and may only use it to provide services on our behalf. They cannot use your data for their own purposes.

When you submit a query to our AI-powered search, the text of your query is sent to our AI service providers to generate a response. We do not send your name, email, phone number, or other personal identifiers along with your query.

4. Data Storage and Security

We take the security of your data seriously. We protect your information using:

• Encryption — sensitive data is encrypted both in transit and at rest
• Access controls — strict role-based access limits who can view your data
• Field-level encryption — particularly sensitive information such as payout details is encrypted at the application level
• Regular security reviews — we continuously monitor and improve our security practices

Your data may be processed on servers located outside of Malawi. Wherever your data is stored, we apply the same security standards and protections described in this policy.

No system is perfectly secure. If we become aware of a security breach that affects your personal data, we will notify you promptly and take appropriate action.

5. Data Retention

We keep your data only for as long as it serves a clear purpose:

• Account data — retained while your account is active and deleted when you delete your account
• Search and chat history — automatically deleted after 30 days
• Order records — retained for accounting and dispute resolution purposes
• Communication logs — notifications, messages, and SMS logs are periodically cleaned up (typically within 90 days)
• Security logs — retained for a limited period to detect and prevent abuse

When you delete your account, we remove your personal data from our systems. Some data may be retained in anonymised form for aggregate analytics, and certain records (such as financial transactions) may be kept as required by law.

6. Your Rights

You have control over your personal data. Through your account settings, you can:

• Access your data — view the personal information we hold about you
• Export your data — download a complete copy of your data in a portable format
• Correct your data — update or fix any inaccurate information
• Delete your account — permanently remove your account and associated personal data
• Manage notifications — choose which communications you receive and how
• Control cookies — adjust your cookie preferences at any time

To exercise any of these rights, visit your account settings or contact us using the details below. We will respond to your request promptly.

7. Age Requirement

Mthandizi is designed for users aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If you are under 18, please do not create an account or submit any personal information.

If we learn that we have collected data from someone under 18, we will delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe a minor has provided us with their data, please contact us immediately.

8. Cookies and Local Storage

We use cookies and browser local storage to:

• Keep you signed in — so you don't have to log in every time you visit
• Remember your preferences — such as theme settings and cookie choices
• Improve performance — by caching data locally to speed up your experience

We do not use cookies for advertising or cross-site tracking. You can manage your cookie preferences through the cookie banner on our site or through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect the functionality of some features.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make significant changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page and notify you through the platform or via email if the changes materially affect how we handle your data.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of Mthandizi after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal data, or how we handle your information, please contact us:

Email: support@mthandizi.com

Phone / WhatsApp: +265 881 229 304

Website: mthandizi.com

We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within 7 days.