Vela Learning Foundation Privacy Policy

Vela Learning Foundation (operating as Vela Trust) is committed to the protection of the students’ and sponsors’ Personal Information, and in doing so respects the student/sponsor’s right to privacy as enshrined in the South African Constitution. In doing so, Vela Trust recognizes that in processing any Personal Information whether for the purposes of a bursary application, managing a bursary programme (including B-BBEE reporting), enquiries related to bursaries, support with applying for a bursary and/or the use of the Vela Trust site, at all times, will comply with any statutory requirements (as may be applicable from time to time) including but not limited to the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (“POPI”).

Personal Information collected via a Vela staff member, email and/or through the use of the Vela Trust site:

1. Personal Information relating to identifying particulars of a Student and/or Sponsor, including full name, address, contact information (both telephone and email), identity number of the student and sponsor (which will include any Personal information which Vela Trust can use to identify you), gender, race, citizenship, the student’s academic achievements (such as matric marks), and academic results from higher education institutions (hereinafter referred to as “Personal Information”) which may be required in order for the above-mentioned purposes.
2. Data usage in relation to the use of the Vela Trust Site: Such information may be collected by Vela Trust through the use of cookies and may include IP address, geographical location, browser type and version, referral source as well as information relating to the timing, frequency and pattern of use of the Vela Trust Site.

For more information in relation to the collection of Personal Information through the use of cookies, please refer to the Vela Trust cookie policy.

Ensuring Privacy of the Personal Information shared with Vela Trust:

As mentioned above, Vela Trust is committed to the preservation of Personal Information in order that we not only safeguard one of our most valued assets but also ensure that such safeguarding and/or protection is done in such a manner so as to foster a relationship of trust between the student/sponsor and the Vela Trust brand. At all times, any Personal Information collected by Vela Trust will be processed strictly in accordance with POPI. For the purposes of the above, Vela Trust (in terms of section 18 of the POPI) is required to bring the following to your attention:

1. The Personal Information pertaining to the student/sponsor is collected and processed by Vela Trust in order to process a student’s bursary application, to manage a bursary programme, to answer enquiries related to bursaries, to support a student to apply for a bursary, or in order to allow the student to access and use the Vela Trust website. This information will only be used by Vela Trust for these purposes.
2. Vela Trust undertakes to only source and/collect Personal Information directly from yourself (as the student), your Parent/Legal Guardian/Sponsor, the Department of Education, and other education providers (only where applicable).
3. Vela Trust may use and transfer such Personal Information (which may also include Special Personal Information, such as Race) in electronic format or other format for Vela Trust purposes consistent with Vela Trust’s relationship with the student and former student, including the submission of personal information to a bursary provider.
4. As a result, Personal Information may be transferred, stored, and processed in a country other than South Africa. In this regard, reasonable contractual and other measures have been taken to protect the Personal Information while outside South Africa (such measures will be no less stringent than that provided for in terms POPI).
5. Your failure to provide consent for the processing of Personal Information in terms of this privacy policy may compromise your admission to a bursary programme or to receive assistance from Vela Trust to apply for a bursary.
6. Throughout your relationship with Vela Trust, you as the student as well as the sponsor will have the right to access and amend any information processed and/or stored by Vela Trust at any reasonable time.
7. Should you (as the student or sponsor) feel that Vela Trust is not living up to this policy in regard to your Personal Information, you have the right to direct a complaint regarding the processing of your Personal Information to the Information Regulator.
8. By submitting a bursary application, sharing this information with Vela Trust, or alternatively by using the Vela Trust Site, the student and sponsor accept, agree, and understand that:
   1. Vela Trust may keep and process Personal Information and/or data or any documents supplied pursuant to a bursary application as well as subsequent bursary support with Vela Trust in electronic format, including the Personal Information supplied by the student and sponsor to Vela Trust, which will only be used solely for identification purposes, upon the student completing his/her bursary application with Vela Trust, with the understanding that records of bursary recipients shall be retained for lawful purposes;
   2. Vela Trust may use and transfer such Personal Information and/or data in electronic form (which may include Special Personal Information) or other formats for Vela Trust’s purposes consistent with Vela Trust’s relationship with the student and/or former student, including submission of data to bursary providers;
   3. That Vela Trust may process the students’ Personal Information in accordance with its own internal policies for bursary and administrative purposes and that Vela Trust may use electronically generated documents in place of the originals signed by me.
9. In addition to the above (and only applicable where the student is still in the process of completing his/her secondary education), the student accepts, agrees, and understands that Vela Trust may communicate with the student’s secondary school about his/her application details with the purpose of supporting an application for the applicable bursary programme that Vela Trust manages.

Sources of Personal Information:

• Bursary application forms
• Website contact us form
• Email enquiries
• Information collected directly from the student/sponsor by a Vela Trust staff member.
• Cookies through the Vela Trust Website.

Vela Trust (as Responsible Party) Contact Details:

• Website: velatrust.org
• Registered Address: 44 Alsatian Road, Glen Austin Ext 3, Midrand, 1685, South Africa
• Email: info@velatrust.org

Information Regulator:

• Address: JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
• Email: IR@justice.gov.za