Privacy policy

Last updated: 4 June 2026

SwaedUAE Association for Culture and Community Empowerment ("SwaedUAE", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, share, and safeguard personal data when you use the SwaedUAE website at swaeduae.ae and the SwaedUAE volunteer mobile apps for Android and iOS (together, the "Platform").

We process personal data in line with Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (UAE PDPL) and applicable UAE regulations.

Who we are

Controller: SwaedUAE Association for Culture and Community Empowerment, affiliated with the Ministry of Community Empowerment (MoCE), United Arab Emirates.
Website: https://swaeduae.ae
Privacy & data-rights contact: [email protected]
General enquiries: [email protected]

What this policy covers

This policy applies to the SwaedUAE website, the SwaedUAE volunteer mobile apps, and related services — including browsing opportunities, registering as a volunteer or organization, GPS attendance check-in, volunteering minutes, and certificates.

Information we collect

Account and profile data — your name, email address, mobile number, password (stored hashed), preferred language, and any profile details you provide. If you sign in with Google, we receive your basic Google profile (name and email).
Volunteer participation data — opportunities you view, save, apply to, or join; your attendance records; verified volunteering minutes; waitlist status; and certificates issued to you.
Location data — when you check in or out of a volunteering activity, the app collects your device's GPS location at that moment to verify your presence at the event site. We do not track your location continuously or in the background.
Camera data — the mobile app uses your camera only to scan event QR codes for attendance check-in. Scanned images are not stored.
Device and technical data — device model, operating system, app version, IP address, and diagnostic and log data needed to operate and secure the Platform.
Push notification token — if you enable notifications, we process a device push token (via Firebase Cloud Messaging and Apple Push Notification service) to send you updates about your volunteering.
Communications — messages you send through our contact and support forms, and emails you exchange with us. Our email is operated through Zoho Mail.
Cookies and analytics — the website uses essential cookies and may use limited analytics. See our Cookie policy.

How we use your data

Create and manage your account and volunteer profile.
Show and manage volunteering opportunities, applications, and waitlists.
Verify attendance using GPS check-in and QR codes, and calculate volunteering minutes.
Issue and verify certificates.
Send service messages and reminders, and — with your consent — push notifications.
Respond to your contact and support requests.
Maintain safety and security, and prevent fraud or abuse.
Comply with legal obligations and reporting to relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Community Empowerment where required.
Improve and develop the Platform.

Legal basis

We rely on your consent (for example, location at check-in and push notifications), the performance of the services you request, our legitimate interest in operating a safe platform, and compliance with our legal obligations.

How we share data

Verified organizations and event organizers — when you join or attend an opportunity, the hosting organization can see your participation and attendance details for that activity.
Service providers (processors) — hosting and infrastructure providers, Zoho (email), and Google and Apple (sign-in and push notifications), acting under our instructions.
Authorities — where required by law or for the legitimate functioning of community programmes, including the Ministry of Community Empowerment.

We do not sell your personal data.

International transfers

Some processors (such as Zoho, Google, Apple, and Firebase) may process data outside the UAE. Where this happens, we take steps to ensure an adequate level of protection consistent with the UAE PDPL.

Data retention

We keep personal data for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the services, issue and verify certificates, meet legal and record-keeping obligations, and resolve disputes. When data is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it.

Your rights

Under the UAE PDPL you may request to access, correct, export, restrict, or delete your personal data, and withdraw consent.

Self-service — when logged in, you can review and update your profile and request a data export or account deletion from your profile (on the website or in the app).
Contact us — email [email protected] for any data-rights request. See also Contact & support.

Mobile app permissions

The SwaedUAE app may request:

Location — to verify attendance at check-in.
Camera — to scan check-in QR codes.
Notifications — to send volunteering updates.

You can manage or revoke these permissions in your device settings. Some features, such as GPS attendance, will not work without them.

Children and young volunteers

Youth participation is part of our mission. Where a volunteer is below the legal age of consent, a parent or guardian's consent is required, and organizers are responsible for appropriate safeguarding.

Security

We use technical and organizational measures — including encrypted transport (HTTPS), hashed passwords, and secure on-device token storage — to protect your data. No system is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, communicated through the Platform.

Contact us

For questions or requests about this policy or your data, contact [email protected] — SwaedUAE Association for Culture and Community Empowerment, United Arab Emirates.