Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

SAYE Katale ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use the SAYE Katale mobile application ("App") and related services.

This policy complies with the Uganda Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019, the Google Play Developer Program Policies, and applicable international data protection standards.

By using our App, you consent to the data practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the App.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Data Type	Examples	Required
Account Information	Full name, email address, phone number, password	Yes
Identity Verification	National Identification Number (NIN), name on ID, NIN photo	Yes
Location Information	District, subcounty, parish, village, GPS coordinates (latitude/longitude)	Yes
Profile Information	Profile photo, role (buyer/seller), farming type, business name	Optional
Product Information	Product names, descriptions, prices, images, stock quantities	Sellers
Financial Information	Mobile money number (for payments), loan application details	Optional

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: Device type, operating system version, unique device identifiers.
• Usage Data: Pages viewed, features used, time spent in the App, crash reports.
• Network Information: IP address, network type (Wi-Fi/mobile data).

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Authentication Providers: If you sign in with email/password via Supabase Auth.
• Payment Processors: Transaction status and confirmation from YO Payments (mobile money).
• AI Image Verification: Google Cloud Vision API processes product images to verify authenticity. Images are processed in real-time and not stored by Google.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

Purpose	Legal Basis
Create and manage your account	Contractual necessity
Facilitate buying and selling of products	Contractual necessity
Process payments via mobile money	Contractual necessity
Verify seller identity and product authenticity	Legitimate interest / Fraud prevention
Provide market price data and agricultural insights	Legitimate interest
Process loan applications	Consent / Contractual necessity
Send notifications about orders, deliveries, and updates	Contractual necessity
Improve App functionality and user experience	Legitimate interest
Prevent fraud, abuse, and enforce our Terms of Service	Legitimate interest / Legal obligation
Comply with legal obligations in Uganda	Legal obligation

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Other Users

• Sellers: Your name, location, and contact information may be shared with sellers when you place an order.
• Buyers: Your product listings, business name, and general location are visible to buyers.

4.2 With Service Providers

• Supabase: Cloud database and authentication services (data stored securely with encryption).
• YO Payments: Mobile money payment processing (only transaction-related data is shared).
• Google Cloud Vision API: Product image verification (images processed in real-time, not stored).

4.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect the rights, safety, and property of SAYE Katale and its users.

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of the business transaction. We will notify you of any such change.

5. Data Storage and Security

5.1 Where We Store Data

Your data is stored on secure cloud servers provided by Supabase (hosted on AWS infrastructure). Data may be processed in data centers outside of Uganda, but we ensure adequate data protection measures are in place.

5.2 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest.
• Authentication: Secure email/password authentication with session management.
• Access Control: Row-Level Security (RLS) ensures users can only access their own data.
• API Security: All API calls are authenticated and rate-limited.
• Regular Audits: We regularly review and update our security practices.

5.3 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that may affect your personal information, we will notify you within 72 hours through the App, email, or SMS, and take immediate steps to mitigate the impact.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this policy:

• Active Accounts: Data is retained for the duration of your account.
• Deleted Accounts: Personal data is deleted within 30 days of account deletion, except where retention is required by law.
• Transaction Records: Order and payment records may be retained for up to 7 years for legal and accounting purposes.
• Loan Application Data: Retained as required by financial regulations in Uganda.

7. Your Rights

Under the Uganda Data Protection and Privacy Act and applicable laws, you have the following rights:

• Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements).
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data.
• Right to Data Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your data for marketing purposes.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at drnamanya@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Children's Privacy

SAYE Katale is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at drnamanya@gmail.com.

9. Permissions We Request

The App may request the following device permissions:

Permission	Purpose	Required
Internet Access	Connect to our servers, load products, process transactions	Yes
Camera / Gallery	Upload product images and profile photos	Optional
Location	Show nearby products and sellers, set delivery location	Optional
Notifications	Order updates, delivery alerts, and important announcements	Optional
Storage	Save downloaded files and cache images for offline access	Optional

You can manage these permissions at any time through your device settings.

10. Third-Party Services

Our App integrates with the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy:

• Supabase (Database & Authentication): supabase.com/privacy
• Google Cloud Vision API (Image Verification): policies.google.com/privacy
• YO Payments (Mobile Money): yo.co.ug
• Google Fonts (Typography): policies.google.com/privacy

11. Cookies and Tracking

The SAYE Katale mobile app does not use browser cookies. However, we may use:

• Local Storage: To cache user preferences and improve performance.
• Session Tokens: To maintain your login session securely.
• Analytics: To understand how users interact with the App (anonymized usage data).

12. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside Uganda where our service providers operate. We ensure that such transfers are protected by:

• Contractual safeguards with our service providers.
• Encryption of data in transit and at rest.
• Compliance with applicable data protection laws.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make changes:

• We will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page.
• We will notify you through the App or via email for significant changes.
• Your continued use of the App after changes are posted constitutes acceptance.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:

• Data Protection Contact: drnamanya@gmail.com
• Website: www.sayekatale.com
• Address: SAYE Katale, Jinja, Uganda

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Personal Data Protection Office of Uganda.