Terms and conditions

Last updated: 6 November 2026

Welcome to the HandKind website.

These Terms and Conditions govern your access to and use of the HandKind website and any services, information, donation facilities, forms or other features made available through it.

By accessing or using this website, you agree to these Terms and Conditions.

If you do not agree with these terms, you should discontinue your use of the website.

1. About HandKind

HandKind is a South African organisation focused on bringing together individuals, professionals, volunteers, donors, organisations and communities to provide meaningful support where it is needed.

The information and functionality provided through this website are intended to support HandKind's activities and facilitate communication with the organisation.

2. Use of This Website

You agree to use this website only for lawful purposes.

You may not:

• Use the website in a way that violates applicable law

• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to the website or its systems

• Introduce malicious software, viruses or harmful code

• Interfere with the operation or security of the website

• Submit deliberately false, fraudulent or misleading information

• Use website content for unlawful, misleading or unauthorised commercial purposes

• Impersonate another individual or organisation

HandKind reserves the right to restrict access to the website where misuse is suspected.

3. Website Information

HandKind makes reasonable efforts to ensure that information on this website is accurate and current.

However, information may occasionally become outdated, incomplete or incorrect.

Website content is provided for general information purposes and should not automatically be regarded as professional, medical, legal, financial, psychological or other specialist advice.

Where professional assistance is required, users should consult an appropriately qualified professional.

4. Donations

Donations made to HandKind are voluntary.

By making a donation, you confirm that:

• You are legally authorised to use the selected payment method

• The information you provide is accurate

• The donation is made voluntarily

• The funds being donated are lawfully available to you

Unless expressly stated otherwise, donations are generally non-refundable once they have been processed.

If a donation has been made in error, duplicated, or processed incorrectly, please contact HandKind as soon as possible. Refund requests will be considered based on the circumstances of the transaction.

5. Use of Donations

Unless a donation is expressly accepted for a specific restricted purpose, HandKind may apply donated funds where they are most needed in support of the organisation's objectives, projects, beneficiaries and operational requirements.

Where HandKind accepts a donation for a specific project or purpose, reasonable efforts will be made to apply those funds accordingly.

If circumstances make the specified purpose impossible, impractical or no longer appropriate, HandKind may contact the donor or, where legally permissible, redirect the funds towards a substantially similar purpose.

6. Tax Certificates

A donation to HandKind should not automatically be assumed to qualify for a tax deduction.

Where HandKind is authorised to issue a tax-deductible donation certificate or Section 18A receipt, this will be communicated separately and will be subject to the relevant requirements of South African law.

Users should obtain independent tax advice where necessary.

7. Payment Processing

Online donations may be processed through independent third-party payment providers.

HandKind is not responsible for disruptions, errors, security incidents or other issues arising solely within a third-party payment provider's systems.

The use of those platforms may also be subject to the payment provider's own terms and privacy policies.

8. Volunteers, Professionals and Partners

Submitting an enquiry, application or expression of interest to volunteer, provide professional assistance, collaborate with HandKind or enter into a partnership does not create an employment, contractual, agency or partnership relationship.

Participation may be subject to additional requirements, screening, agreements, policies or safeguarding procedures depending on the nature of the proposed involvement.

HandKind reserves the right to accept or decline offers of assistance or collaboration at its discretion.

9. Safeguarding and Confidentiality

HandKind places importance on protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of children, families, beneficiaries and vulnerable individuals connected with its work.

Visitors, volunteers, donors, professionals and partners may not use information obtained through HandKind to identify, contact, exploit, photograph, publish information about or otherwise interfere with beneficiaries without appropriate authorisation.

Additional safeguarding or confidentiality requirements may apply to individuals who work directly with HandKind or its beneficiaries.

10. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise indicated, the content available on this website, including:

• Written content

• Branding

• Logos

• Graphics

• Photographs

• Videos

• Website design

• Illustrations

• Downloadable materials

is owned by, licensed to, or used with permission by HandKind.

Content may not be copied, reproduced, republished, modified, distributed or commercially exploited without appropriate permission, except where allowed by law.

You may share publicly available HandKind content for legitimate non-commercial purposes provided that the content is not altered in a misleading manner and HandKind is appropriately credited.

11. Third-Party Links

This website may link to third-party websites, social media platforms, payment providers or other external resources.

These links are provided for convenience or informational purposes.

HandKind does not control these third parties and does not accept responsibility for their content, availability, products, services, security or privacy practices.

12. Website Availability

We aim to keep the HandKind website available and functioning correctly.

However, we do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access.

The website may occasionally be unavailable due to:

• Maintenance

• Technical problems

• Hosting interruptions

• Security measures

• Third-party service disruptions

• Circumstances beyond our reasonable control

HandKind may change, suspend or discontinue parts of the website where reasonably necessary.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by South African law, HandKind will not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential or special loss resulting from the use of, or inability to use, this website.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions is intended to exclude any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Users remain responsible for decisions they make based on general information obtained through the website.

14. Privacy

Personal information submitted through this website is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable South African data protection legislation.

By using this website or submitting personal information, you acknowledge that you have reviewed our Privacy Policy.

15. Changes to These Terms

HandKind may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time.

Any revised version will become effective when published on this website unless otherwise indicated.

The "Last updated" date at the top of the page will reflect the latest revision.

16. Governing Law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

Any dispute relating to the use of this website will be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts of South Africa.

17. Contact

Questions regarding these Terms and Conditions can be submitted to HandKind using the contact information provided on our website.