Privacy policy

Your trust matters to us. Thamarat exists to support refugee families, and that work depends on relationships built on care and respect — including respect for your privacy. This policy explains, in plain language, what personal data we collect, why, and the rights you have over it.

We follow the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Dutch data protection law. If anything here is unclear, please just ask — write to us at .

Last updated: 6 June 2026

Who We Are

Thamarat is a community organisation based in the Netherlands that supports refugee families. For the purposes of data protection law, Thamarat is the data controller — meaning we decide what personal data is collected and how it is used.

You can reach our team about anything in this policy at:

• Email:

What Personal Data We Collect

We only collect what we genuinely need. Depending on how you interact with us, that may include:

Donors

• Your name and contact details (email, and where relevant phone or address).
• Details of your donation. Card and bank payments are handled directly by our payment provider — we do not store your full card or bank details ourselves.
• Any message or instructions you send with a donation.

Volunteers

• Your name and contact details.
• Information you share about your skills, availability, and how you'd like to help.
• Records of the activities you take part in with us.

Members & Newsletter Subscribers

• Your email address, and your name if you provide it.
• Your subscription preferences and whether you've opened or clicked our emails, so we can understand what's useful.

People Who Contact Us

• Your name, email, and the content of your message when you get in touch.

Website Visitors

• Basic, largely anonymised usage data (such as pages visited and general device or browser type) to understand how the site is used.

Why We Collect It & Our Legal Basis

Under GDPR we must have a lawful reason for using your data. Here is how that maps to what we do:

• To send newsletters and updates — based on your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.
• To process and acknowledge donations — to perform our part of that interaction and to meet our legal obligations (for example, financial and tax record-keeping).
• To coordinate volunteering — based on our legitimate interest in organising our work, and on your consent where appropriate.
• To respond to your enquiries — based on our legitimate interest in answering you.
• To improve our website and communications — based on our legitimate interest in running an effective site, using minimal, privacy-friendly data.

How We Store & Protect Your Data

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to keep your data safe — including limiting who can access it, using reputable service providers, and storing information securely. No system is ever completely risk-free, but we work to protect your data as if it were our own.

How Long We Keep It

We keep personal data only for as long as we genuinely need it:

• Newsletter and contact details: until you unsubscribe or ask us to remove them.
• Donation records: for as long as required by Dutch financial and tax law, then securely deleted.
• Volunteer records: for the duration of your involvement and a reasonable period afterwards, unless you ask us to remove them sooner.

Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell or rent your personal data — ever. We share it only with trusted service providers who help us operate, and only as much as they need to do their job. These may include:

• Our payment provider, to process donations securely.
• Our email and newsletter provider, to send the updates you've subscribed to.
• Our website hosting provider, to keep this site online.

These providers act on our instructions under agreements that require them to protect your data. We may also disclose data where we are legally required to do so.

International Data Transfers

We aim to keep your data within the European Economic Area (EEA). Some of our service providers may process data outside the EEA. Where that happens, we rely on appropriate safeguards recognised under GDPR — such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses — to ensure your data stays protected.

Cookies & Analytics

Our website uses a small number of cookies and privacy-friendly analytics to help the site function and to understand, in aggregate, how it's used. We do not use them to build advertising profiles of you. You can control or block cookies through your browser settings at any time.

Your Rights Under GDPR

You are in control of your data. Under GDPR you have the right to:

• Access — ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectification — ask us to correct data that's wrong or incomplete.
• Erasure — ask us to delete your data ('the right to be forgotten').
• Restriction — ask us to limit how we use your data.
• Portability — ask for your data in a portable format to reuse elsewhere.
• Objection — object to us using your data where we rely on legitimate interest.
• Withdraw consent — change your mind at any time where we relied on your consent.

Newsletter subscribers can also unsubscribe instantly via the link at the bottom of any email.

How to Exercise Your Rights or Make a Complaint

To exercise any of these rights, just email us at . We'll respond as soon as we can, and within one month at the latest. Exercising your rights is free.

If you're ever unhappy with how we've handled your data, we'd really like the chance to put it right — please tell us first. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority, the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl).

Children's Data

Although our work supports many families with children, this website is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children. Where we hold information about a child as part of supporting a family, we do so with the family's involvement and treat it with extra care. If you believe we hold a child's data without proper consent, please contact us and we'll remove it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time as our work or the law evolves. When we do, we'll revise the 'Last updated' date at the top of this page. Significant changes will be communicated clearly.

Contact Us

For any privacy question, or to exercise your rights, reach us at . We're always happy to help.