Privacy & POPIA Notice

Your privacy matters

When you submit a support application, contact Hear We Go or use our services, we may need to collect personal information about you or the person on whose behalf you are applying.

We only collect and use information that is reasonably necessary to assess applications, provide support, administer our services and meet our legal and operational responsibilities.

Information we may collect

Depending on the purpose of your interaction with Hear We Go, we may collect:

• Your full name and contact details
• Your residential address
• Your date of birth and age
• Your South African identity number, passport number or birth certificate
• Information relating to a parent or legal guardian
• Employment and household-income information
• Medical-aid information
• Hearing-health and audiological information
• Medical reports, audiograms, quotations and supporting documents
• Photographs or videos, where separate media consent has been provided

How we may use your information

Hear We Go may process your information to:

• Confirm your identity
• Assess and manage your application for support
• Communicate with you about your application
• Provide or coordinate hearing-related support and services
• Verify medical, financial or supporting information
• Prepare applications for review by the Hear We Go board or authorised review team
• Work with audiologists, healthcare providers, suppliers, sponsors and trusted service partners
• Monitor, report on and improve the services we provide
• Meet legal, financial, regulatory and reporting requirements
• Process donations, sponsorships or social-investment funding connected to approved support

This expands the organisation’s existing notice, which currently states that information may be used to confirm identity, manage support, improve services, promote Hear We Go’s work, process funding and meet legal obligations.

Sharing your information

We may share relevant information with trusted parties where this is necessary to assess or fulfil your application. These parties may include:

• Hear We Go directors, employees and authorised reviewers
• Audiologists and hearing-health professionals
• Hospitals, clinics and healthcare providers
• Hearing-device suppliers and service providers
• Sponsors, donors or funding partners involved in an approved application
• Technology and document-storage providers used by Hear We Go
• Regulatory or legal authorities where required by law

We will only share information that is reasonably required for the applicable purpose.

Some information may be processed or stored using secure third-party technology services, which may include servers located outside South Africa. Hear We Go’s existing notice already provides for trusted service partners and possible storage outside South Africa.

Information about children

Where an application relates to a child, the application and consent must be completed by the child’s parent or legal guardian.

The parent or legal guardian confirms that they are authorised to provide the child’s personal and medical information to Hear We Go for the purposes described in this notice.

Protecting your information

Hear We Go will take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:

• Loss or accidental damage
• Unauthorised access
• Unlawful use or disclosure
• Alteration or destruction

Only authorised individuals who require the information for legitimate organisational purposes should have access to it.

Retaining your information

Hear We Go may retain application records and supporting documents for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Assess and administer the application
• Provide approved support
• Maintain financial and organisational records
• Meet funder, audit, legal or regulatory requirements
• Resolve queries or disputes

Information that is no longer reasonably required should be securely deleted or anonymised, subject to applicable record-retention obligations.

Your rights

You may contact Hear We Go to:

• Ask what personal information is held about you
• Request that incorrect or outdated information be corrected
• Request further information about how your information is used
• Raise a concern about the handling of your information
• Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent, subject to legal and operational limitations

Contact our Information Officer

Questions or concerns regarding your personal information may be directed to:

Information Officer
Hear We Go NPC
Email: info@hearwego.co.za

You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe your personal information has been processed contrary to POPIA.