How we protect people.

Privacy policy

What we collect, and why.

What we collect. Only what you give us through this website's forms: your name, contact details, the program you are interested in, and what you choose to write. The giving page will, once payments are live, be handled by a payment provider; NODVI's website never stores card numbers.

Why. To answer you, to process an application, to support a girl who reaches out, and to send a receipt for a gift. Nothing else.

Who sees it. The NODVI or YAYA team members who need it to help you. Information submitted through YAYA forms is never displayed publicly and is shared outside the team only to keep someone safe, as described in our safeguarding policy, or when the law requires it.

How long. As long as needed to help you or to keep a record of an application, then deleted. You can ask us at any time to see, correct or delete what we hold about you, through the contact page.

Cookies. This website does not use tracking cookies. It remembers, on your own device only, small conveniences such as whether you have already seen the opening animation.

Safeguarding policy

Every girl comes first.

YAYA exists so that girls, young women and young mothers have a safe place to be heard. Safeguarding is how we keep that promise.

• Screening. Every Big Sister mentor completes an application, an interview and background screening before any contact with a girl.
• Training. Mentors complete safeguarding training before mentoring begins: boundaries, confidentiality, recognising signs of abuse or distress, and what to do when a girl is at risk.
• Code of conduct. No mentor is ever alone with a minor in a private setting; communication happens through YAYA's supervised channels; gifts, money and favours are not exchanged; and a girl's information is never shared with anyone outside YAYA except to keep her safe.
• Reporting. Any concern about a girl's safety is reported immediately to YAYA's safeguarding lead, who decides with the girl, wherever possible, on the safest next steps, including involving a trusted adult, professionals or local authorities.
• Listening first. When a girl tells us something, we believe her, we do not judge, and we do not act behind her back unless her life or someone else's is in danger.

Child protection procedures

What happens when a girl is at risk.

1. Listen and stay calm. The mentor listens, reassures, and does not promise absolute secrecy: safety may require telling someone who can help.
2. Record. The mentor writes down what was shared, in the girl's own words, with the date, and sends it only to the safeguarding lead.
3. Assess. The safeguarding lead assesses the risk the same day and decides on the next steps with the girl's wellbeing as the only priority.
4. Refer. Where a girl is in danger, YAYA refers to the appropriate trusted adults, health professionals, social services or local authorities, and stays beside the girl through the process.
5. Follow up. YAYA checks in with the girl afterwards, for as long as she needs.

Mentors who breach the code of conduct are removed from the program immediately.

Emergency guidance

If you are in danger right now.

Contact your local emergency services or a trusted adult immediately. The YAYA Safe Line is a listening and referral space; it is not an emergency service and cannot send help to where you are.

In the United States, call or text 911 for emergencies, and 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, contact the nearest police station, hospital or health centre, or a trusted adult near you.

When you are safe, YAYA is here to listen and to help you find the next steps.

Photographs and stories

Nothing about a minor without consent.

• No photograph, video or story involving a minor is published without written, informed consent from a parent or guardian and the young person's own agreement.
• Consent explains where the content may appear (this website, social media, printed materials), can be limited, and can be withdrawn at any time through the contact page; we then remove the content as quickly as we can.
• We never publish a girl's story from YAYA in a way that could identify her without her explicit wish, and we never publish anything that could put her at risk.
• Adults who share their story keep the same rights: real names only when they choose, and withdrawal at any time.

Terms of use

Using this website.

This website is published by NODVI to present its programs and those of its branch YAYA, and to let visitors get involved, apply and give. Its content may be shared for non-commercial purposes with credit to NODVI.

The information on this website is given in good faith. YAYA's support and the Safe Line are listening and referral resources and do not replace medical, psychological, legal or emergency services.

Forms on this website are meant for genuine applications and messages. Any use of the website to harass, deceive or endanger anyone, in particular a minor, will be reported to the relevant authorities.

Questions about these terms or any policy on this page: use the contact page.

Images

The pictures we use.

The leadership portraits are photographs provided by NODVI. The Kinshasa and United States scenes, the airplane and the small 3D icons were generated with an image model for this preview. The Earth texture is NASA's Blue Marble (public domain). Six of the eight program cards show NODVI's own photographs, restored and enlarged to 4K with an AI model, people and scenes unchanged. The other program photographs are Creative Commons:

• congo · EdwinAlden.1995 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
• usa · APK · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
• tailoring · usembassyghana · CC CC0 1.0 · source
• youth · The African Union Mission in Somalia · CC CC0 1.0 · source
• internship · Kristin Hardwick · CC CC0 1.0 · source
• partner · Kristin Hardwick · CC CC0 1.0 · source
• sales · The African Union Mission in Somalia · CC CC0 1.0 · source
• community · U.S. Agency for International Development · CC CC0 1.0 · source
• mentor · The African Union Mission in Somalia · CC CC0 1.0 · source
• teen-mother · Studio 7042 · CC CC0 1.0 · source
• cosmetology · Candace McDaniel · CC CC0 1.0 · source
• elderly · Peace Corps · CC CC0 1.0 · source
• volunteer · unknown author · CC CC0 1.0 · source