1. Introduction

These General Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern all donations made to Stichting Friends for Townships (“the Foundation”), a foundation incorporated under Dutch law, registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK) under number 42004416, with its registered seat in The Hague, the Netherlands.

By making a donation through our website or any other channel, you confirm that you have read, understood, and accepted these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not proceed with a donation.

2. The Foundation

2.1 Legal identity

Stichting Friends for Townships is a foundation (“stichting”) under Dutch law. It is not a commercial entity and does not distribute profits to any natural person or legal entity.

The Foundation is registered as follows:

Name: Stichting Friends for Townships
KVK number: 42004416
RSIN: 869242192
Registered address: Bronovolaan 1 B 6, 2597AX The Hague, The Netherlands
Email: support@friendsfortownships.org
Website: www.friendsfortownships.org

2.2 Mission

The Foundation works to create dignified living conditions for people in townships in South Africa, with a current focus on Langa, Cape Town. It channels donations to carefully selected local organisations and projects working on education, sport, children’s homes, and disability care.

2.3 ANBI status

The Foundation is in the process of applying for ANBI status (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) with the Dutch Tax Authority (Belastingdienst). ANBI status has not yet been granted. This document will be updated once the status is confirmed.

Dutch donors should note that gifts to foundations without ANBI status are generally not tax-deductible under Dutch income tax law. We will communicate clearly once this changes.

3. Nature of a Donation

3.1 A gift, not a purchase

A donation to the Foundation is a gift (“schenking”) within the meaning of Dutch civil law. It is a voluntary and unilateral transfer of funds. The donor receives no goods, services, or other consideration in return.

Accordingly, consumer protection legislation that applies to purchase agreements — including the right of withdrawal under the Dutch Civil Code and the EU Consumer Rights Directive — does not apply to donations.

3.2 No refunds

Donations are final and non-refundable, except in the following circumstances:

A technical payment error resulted in a duplicate charge.
A donation was processed without the donor’s knowledge or authorisation.
A demonstrable administrative error occurred on the part of the Foundation.

Refund requests must be submitted in writing to support@friendsfortownships.org within 14 days of the transaction. The Foundation will assess each request individually and respond within 10 business days.

3.3 Minimum amount

The Foundation does not set a minimum donation amount. However, for very small amounts, transaction costs charged by payment processors may equal or exceed the donated sum. In such cases, the Foundation may contact the donor to discuss alternatives.

4. Donation Types

4.1 One-time donations

A single, non-recurring donation is processed immediately upon confirmation. The donor will receive a confirmation by email.

4.2 Recurring donations

The donor may choose to make a recurring donation on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis (“terugkerende donatie”). By authorising a recurring donation, the donor:

Grants the Foundation (or its payment processor) a mandate to collect the agreed amount at the agreed intervals.
Acknowledges that each individual collection constitutes a separate, irrevocable gift upon processing.
Understands that the Foundation cannot guarantee tax deductibility of recurring gifts under any jurisdiction’s law.

The donor may cancel a recurring donation at any time with immediate effect by:

Logging into their donor account on the website, or
Sending a written cancellation to support@friendsfortownships.org.

Cancellation prevents future collections. It does not entitle the donor to a refund of amounts already collected.

5. Project Allocation

5.1 Designated donations

The donor may designate their donation to a specific project listed on the Foundation’s website at the time of giving. The Foundation will make every reasonable effort to apply the funds accordingly.

5.2 If a project closes or reaches its target

Projects may close, be completed, or be suspended for reasons outside the Foundation’s control. If a designated project is no longer active at the time the funds are to be disbursed, the Foundation reserves the right to:

Redirect the donation to a similar active project, or
Retain the funds in the Foundation’s general reserve for future projects aligned with its mission.

The Foundation will not return such donations, as the gift is made to the Foundation and not solely to a specific project.

5.3 Undesignated donations

If no project is designated, the donation will be allocated at the discretion of the Foundation’s board, in accordance with the Foundation’s stated mission.

6. Use of Funds

The Foundation is committed to transparency. The vast majority of donations are allocated directly to projects in South Africa. A modest portion covers operational costs that make the work possible, including payment processing fees, website maintenance, and communications.

The board members of the Foundation serve on a voluntary basis and receive no remuneration. Any future change to this policy will be publicly disclosed on the website.

The Foundation will publish an annual report on its website detailing income, expenditures, and project outcomes. This obligation is inherent to the Foundation’s statutes and forms part of the ANBI application requirements.

7. International Donors

7.1 Applicable law and currency

These Terms are governed exclusively by Dutch law. Donations are processed in Euros (EUR), regardless of the donor’s country of residence. Any currency conversion costs are borne by the donor.

7.2 Tax deductibility — important notice

The Foundation is a Dutch legal entity. It is not registered as a tax-exempt organisation in any country other than the Netherlands (and even there, ANBI status is pending). Donors from outside the Netherlands — including but not limited to donors from the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, South Africa, and elsewhere — should not assume that their donation is tax-deductible in their country of residence.

In particular:

Donors from the United States: the Foundation is not a 501(c)(3) organisation. Donations are not deductible for US federal income tax purposes.
Donors from the United Kingdom: the Foundation is not registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Gift Aid cannot be claimed.
Donors from Belgium, Germany, and other EU member states: tax deductibility varies by country. The Foundation does not provide advice on this matter.

If in doubt, donors are encouraged to consult a tax adviser in their country of residence. The Foundation accepts no liability for tax consequences arising from a donation.

7.3 Sanctions and restrictions

The Foundation complies with applicable Dutch and EU sanctions legislation. It will not knowingly accept donations from individuals or entities subject to financial sanctions. By donating, the donor confirms they are not subject to any applicable sanctions regime.

8. Payment Processing

Donations are processed via GiveWP and its integrated payment partners. Accepted payment methods include iDEAL, credit card (Visa, Mastercard), and direct debit (incasso), subject to availability by region.

The Foundation does not store full payment details (credit card numbers, bank account credentials) on its own servers. Payment data is processed and held by the payment service provider in accordance with PCI-DSS standards.

The donor agrees to the terms and conditions of the relevant payment service provider when completing a transaction.

9. Donor Communications

Upon completing a donation, the donor will receive a confirmation email. This email serves as acknowledgement but does not, by itself, constitute a fiscal receipt for tax purposes.

If the donor subscribes to the newsletter via the website, they will receive updates on project progress and Foundation activities. Newsletter subscriptions are separate from the donation process and can be cancelled at any time.

10. Liability

The Foundation exercises due diligence in selecting and monitoring its partner organisations in South Africa. However, it cannot guarantee the outcomes of any specific project, and it does not accept liability for:

The failure of a partner organisation to deploy funds as intended, provided the Foundation acted in good faith.
Any indirect, consequential, or incidental loss suffered by a donor.
Errors, interruptions, or delays in the payment infrastructure caused by third-party providers.

The Foundation’s total liability towards a single donor, in any circumstance, is limited to the amount of that donor’s most recent donation.

11. Amendments

The Foundation reserves the right to amend these Terms at any time. The most recent version will always be published on the website. Amendments take effect upon publication. Donations made prior to an amendment remain subject to the Terms in force at the time of the donation.

For recurring donations, the Foundation will notify donors of material changes by email at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued collection after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

12. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms, and any dispute arising from or in connection with them, are exclusively governed by Dutch law. The courts of The Hague (Den Haag), the Netherlands, have exclusive jurisdiction.

Before initiating legal proceedings, the donor is encouraged to contact the Foundation at support@friendsfortownships.org. The Foundation will make every effort to resolve disputes amicably.

13. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us at:

Stichting Friends for Townships

Bronovolaan 1 B 6, 2597AX The Hague, The Netherlands

Email: support@friendsfortownships.org

Website: www.friendsfortownships.org

KVK: 42004416 | RSIN: 869242192