Privacy Policy

Catholic Diocese of Wote Wote-Mwaani Road, P.O. Box 315 – 90300, Makueni, Kenya Last Updated: May 2025

1. Introduction and Our Commitment

The Catholic Diocese of Wote is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all individuals who visit our website, contact our offices, or engage with our ministries and programmes. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and your rights in relation to it.

We handle all personal information in accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 and in the spirit of the ethical principles of the Catholic Church, which affirm the inherent dignity and privacy of every human person.

By using this website, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please refrain from using this website or submitting personal information to us.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect personal information from you in the following ways:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Contact forms — When you fill out a contact or enquiry form, we collect your name, email address, phone number, and the content of your message
• Donation submissions — When you make a donation, we may collect your name, contact details, and payment reference information
• Event registrations — When you register for a Diocese event, retreat, or programme, we collect the registration details you provide
• Newsletter subscriptions — If you subscribe to our communications, we collect your name and email address
• Prayer requests or pastoral enquiries — Any personal information shared in the context of seeking pastoral support

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain information may be collected automatically, including:

• Your IP address and browser type
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• The website that referred you to ours
• Device type and operating system

This information is collected through standard web technologies including cookies and may be processed by third-party analytics tools such as Google Analytics.

3. How We Use Your Information

The Diocese uses personal information collected for the following purposes:

• To respond to your enquiries and provide the pastoral or administrative support you have requested
• To process donations and issue acknowledgement of gifts received
• To send communications about Diocese news, events, and programmes — but only where you have opted in or have an established relationship with us
• To administer events and programmes you have registered for
• To improve our website and the quality of our digital presence through analytics data
• To comply with legal obligations as required under Kenyan law

We will never use your personal information for purposes unrelated to the Diocese’s mission without your explicit consent.

4. Sharing of Personal Information

The Catholic Diocese of Wote does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• With Diocese departments and parish offices where necessary to respond to your request or provide a service
• With trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website or programmes (such as web hosting providers), who are bound by confidentiality obligations
• With partner Church bodies such as the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) or Caritas Kenya, where relevant and with your awareness
• Where required by law, such as in response to a court order or lawful request by public authorities

In all cases, we ensure that any sharing is proportionate, necessary, and consistent with this Policy.

5. Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. Our website may use cookies to:

• Remember your preferences and improve your browsing experience
• Collect anonymous analytics data to understand how our site is used
• Enable certain features of the website to function correctly

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of this website.

We do not use cookies to collect sensitive personal information or to track you across unrelated websites.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Specifically:

• Contact and enquiry records are retained for up to 2 years
• Donation records are retained for a minimum of 7 years in accordance with financial record-keeping obligations
• Event registration data is retained for 1 year after the event
• Newsletter subscriber information is retained until you unsubscribe

When personal data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

7. Security of Your Information

The Diocese takes the security of your personal data seriously. We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information against unauthorised access, loss, destruction, or alteration.

These measures include:

• Secure hosting of our website with reputable providers
• Restricted access to personal data within Diocese offices
• Regular review of our data handling practices

However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Your Rights

Under the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of Access — You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to Rectification — You may ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to Erasure — You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to any legal obligations we may have to retain it
• Right to Object — You may object to the processing of your personal information for certain purposes, including direct communications
• Right to Withdraw Consent — Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at: 📧 info@catholicdioceseofwote.org 📞 +254 704 173 288

We will respond to all requests within 30 days.

9. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors without the consent of a parent or guardian. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete it.

Youth ministry programmes within the Diocese that involve minors are governed by additional safeguarding policies in accordance with the Church’s child protection guidelines.

10. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to other websites, including those of Catholic organisations, partner bodies, and government agencies. This Privacy Policy applies only to our website. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any external site and encourage you to read the privacy policy of any website you visit.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

The Diocese reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or website features. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this Policy periodically. Your continued use of the website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal data, please contact us:

Data Controller: Catholic Diocese of Wote Wote-Mwaani Road P.O. Box 315 – 90300 Makueni, Kenya

📞 +254 704 173 288 📧 info@catholicdioceseofwote.org 📧 dioceseofwote2023@gmail.com

We take all privacy concerns seriously and will respond promptly and respectfully to every enquiry.