Legal

Privacy & Cookie Policy

Last updated: 7 November 2026

This policy explains what personal information The Elective and Volunteers Network (EVN) collects through electiveandvolunteers.com, why we collect it, who we share it with, and the choices you have. We have kept it short and in plain English.

1. Who we are

The Elective and Volunteers Network (EVN) is a non-governmental organisation registered in Tanzania (Reg. No. 00NGO/R/5640), P.O. Box 456, Usa River, Arusha, Tanzania. We arrange healthcare electives, internships and volunteering placements in and around Arusha. EVN is the data controller for the information described here.

Contact for anything in this policy: [email protected].

2. What we collect

When you send an enquiry (contact form): first and last name, email, phone/WhatsApp number, discipline and your message.

When you apply for a placement (application form): your preferred discipline, facility, duration, start date and accommodation; nationality; school, university or employer; education status; first and last name; date of birth; gender; email; phone/WhatsApp; and anything else you choose to tell us.

When you correspond with us by email or WhatsApp: the messages and any documents you send, such as a CV, university letter, professional registration, passport details for visa or registration purposes, or insurance details.

When you browse the site: technical information such as your IP address, browser and device type, and the pages you visit (see section 6 on cookies).

Please do not send us medical information about yourself unless we ask for it for a specific reason (for example, an accessibility need you want us to plan for).

3. Why we use it

To answer your enquiry and send you information you asked for. Legal basis: your request / legitimate interests.
To assess and arrange your placement, including confirming your place with the host facility, supervisors, accommodation and airport transfer. Legal basis: taking steps to enter into, and carry out, our agreement with you.
To help with registration, permits or visas required for your placement. Legal basis: contract and legal obligation.
To keep you safe during your placement and contact you or your emergency contact if something goes wrong. Legal basis: contract and vital interests.
To protect the website from spam, fraud and attacks. Legal basis: legitimate interests.
To understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it, using Google Analytics. Legal basis: your consent where the law requires it (see section 6).

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for advertising.

4. Who we share it with

Host facilities and placement supervisors in Tanzania (hospitals, health centres and clinics where you are placed), only the details they need to accept and supervise you.
Accommodation and transport providers we arrange for you, only your name, dates and contact details.
Tanzanian authorities where registration, permits or visas are needed for your placement, or where the law requires it.
Service providers who run parts of our website and communications: our web hosting provider; Cloudflare (website delivery and security); Google (Analytics and reCAPTCHA spam protection); our email provider; and WhatsApp/Meta if you choose to message us there. They may only use your information to provide their service to us.

5. International transfers

EVN operates in Tanzania, so if you contact us from the UK, EU or elsewhere your information will be transferred to and handled in Tanzania. Some of our service providers (such as Google and Cloudflare) also process data in the United States and other countries. Where we rely on these providers, we use services that offer recognised safeguards for international transfers, such as standard contractual clauses. By its nature, a placement in Tanzania requires your information to be shared with organisations in Tanzania.

6. Cookies and analytics

A cookie is a small file stored by your browser. We use:

Essential and security cookies: set by Cloudflare, our security software and Google reCAPTCHA to keep the site working and to protect our forms from spam. These cannot be switched off. reCAPTCHA only loads when you approach or use one of our forms.
Analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4, names beginning _ga): help us see which pages are useful, in aggregate. No advertising or profiling.

If you are in the UK, the EU/EEA or Switzerland, analytics cookies are only set if you click “Accept analytics” on our cookie banner. If you click “Reject”, no analytics cookies are stored. Elsewhere, analytics runs by default, and you can switch it off at any time.

You can change your choice at any time here: Cookie settings. You can also delete cookies or block them in your browser settings.

7. How long we keep it

Enquiries and unsuccessful applications (including applications that do not go ahead): up to 6 months from our last contact.
Successful applications and placement records: up to 1 year after your placement ends, so we can answer questions from you or your university and confirm that you completed your placement.
Analytics data: Google Analytics keeps it for up to 14 months.

After these periods we delete or anonymise the information.

8. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you can ask us to: see the information we hold about you; correct it; delete it; restrict or object to how we use it; or send it to you in a portable format. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. Email [email protected] and we will reply within one month.

If you are unhappy with how we handled your information, please contact us first. You also have the right to complain to a data protection authority: in Tanzania, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC); in the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO); or in the EU/EEA, your local data protection authority.

9. Under-18s

Our placements are designed for adults. If an applicant is under 18, we need the involvement and consent of a parent or guardian before we process their application.

10. Security

We protect our website with encrypted connections (HTTPS), a firewall and malware scanning, and we limit access to applicant information to the EVN team and coordinators who need it to arrange your placement.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it was last changed.