SH Platform (“the Platform”) is a Village Banking System that provides digital savings and loans management services to registered savings groups. SH Platform is committed to protecting the personal data of all users in accordance with the Data Protection Act No. 3 of 2021 of the Republic of Zambia. By using this platform you acknowledge and consent to the practices described in this policy.

1. Data Controller

Your savings group acts as the Data Controller for personal data collected from its members. SH Platform provides technical infrastructure as the Data Processor. The group’s designated administrator (Chairperson or Treasurer) is responsible for ensuring lawful data handling within the group.

2. Personal Data We Collect

• Identity: Full name, National Registration Card (NRC) number, date of birth, gender
• Contact: Mobile phone number (your login identifier)
• Financial: Savings contributions, loan history, repayments, fines, and shareout amounts
• Access: Login timestamps, session information, and IP addresses for security purposes
• Role: Your group role (member, treasurer, secretary, chairperson)

3. Legal Basis for Processing

• Contract performance: Administering your savings and loan activities within the group
• Legitimate interests: Fraud prevention, system security, and financial record-keeping
• Legal obligation: Compliance with Zambian financial and anti-money laundering regulations
• Consent: Where you have explicitly agreed to specific processing activities

4. How We Use Your Data

• To manage your savings account and transaction history
• To process loan applications, approvals, and repayments
• To calculate and distribute shareout amounts at cycle end
• To generate financial reports for group administrators
• To ensure platform security and prevent unauthorised access

5. Data Sharing & Disclosure

Your data is only visible to: you (your own records), authorised group leaders who require it for administration, and platform administrators for technical support. We do not sell, rent, or share your data with third parties for marketing. Disclosure to authorities may occur if required by Zambian law.

6. Data Retention

Data is retained for the duration of your membership and a minimum of five (5) years after your last active savings cycle, in line with Zambian financial record-keeping requirements. Thereafter, data is securely deleted or anonymised.

7. Your Rights Under the DPA 2021

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data held on the platform
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Erasure: Request deletion (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Portability: Receive your data in a structured, readable format
• Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Restriction: Request that processing be restricted in certain circumstances

To exercise any of these rights, contact your group administrator or the platform administrator.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational safeguards including encrypted password storage, CSRF protection, session management, access role controls, and Content Security Policy headers. No system is entirely immune to risk — please keep your login credentials secure.

9. Cookies & Local Storage

This platform uses browser sessions and minimal local storage strictly for authentication and user experience. No advertising or tracking cookies are used.

10. Contact & Complaints

For privacy concerns, contact your group administrator in the first instance, or escalate to the SH Platform administrator assigned to your group.

11. Changes to This Policy

Material changes will be communicated via the platform. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

These Terms and Conditions govern your use of SH Platform, a Village Banking System that administers digital savings and loan management for registered community savings groups. By accessing or using the platform, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms.

1. Eligibility & Access

• You must be a registered member of an active savings group on this platform
• Access is granted exclusively by your group administrator; self-registration is not permitted
• You must be 18 years of age or older to be a registered member
• Your account credentials are personal and must not be shared with any other person

2. User Responsibilities

• Maintain the confidentiality of your password and PIN at all times
• Notify your group administrator immediately of any suspected unauthorised access
• Ensure all personal information you provide is accurate and kept up to date
• Never attempt to access other members’ accounts or financial data without authorisation
• Not use the platform for any unlawful, fraudulent, or harmful purpose

3. Financial Transactions

All financial transactions recorded (contributions, loans, repayments, fines) are subject to your group’s Constitution. The platform records and reports transactions but does not independently hold or transfer funds. Your group’s office bearers are solely responsible for physical money handling.

• Transactions recorded by authorised group leaders are considered final and binding
• Transaction disputes must be raised with your group’s Chairperson or Treasurer
• Reports and projections are informational; final shareout amounts are confirmed at the December meeting

4. Prohibited Activities

• Attempting to reverse-engineer, decompile, or tamper with the platform’s code or data
• Uploading or transmitting malicious code, viruses, or disruptive content
• Impersonating another member or misrepresenting your identity
• Using the platform to facilitate fraud, money laundering, or criminal activity
• Sharing or misusing other members’ personal or financial information

5. Intellectual Property

All software, design, code, and content on the platform is the property of SH Platform. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use it solely for managing your group savings activities.

6. Limitation of Liability

SH Platform and its administrators shall not be liable for financial loss arising from decisions based on platform reports, data loss due to force majeure or hardware failure, or actions taken by group administrators within their authorised capacity. The platform does not guarantee uninterrupted availability.

7. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Zambia, including the Data Protection Act No. 3 of 2021, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, and the Banking and Financial Services Act.

8. Amendments & Termination

SH Platform may amend these Terms at any time; continued use constitutes acceptance. Your access may be terminated for breach of these Terms, suspected fraud, or at the request of group leadership.

SH Platform is a Village Banking System that provides digital savings and loans management to community savings groups — chamas, village banking circles, and solidarity groups — across Zambia. Each group registered on the platform operates under its own name and constitution.

What SH Platform Does

• Tracks monthly member contributions and savings balances in real time
• Manages loan applications, approvals, disbursements, and repayments
• Calculates and enforces penalty fines for missed contributions or repayments
• Generates cycle-end shareout projections and final distribution reports
• Provides role-based access for chairpersons, treasurers, secretaries, and members
• Produces downloadable financial reports, ledgers, and a legally styled group constitution
• Supports offline access via Progressive Web App (PWA) installation

The Platform

SH Platform is a secure, self-hosted web application designed to operate reliably on the internet connections common in Zambia’s communities, with full Progressive Web App (PWA) support for offline and low-connectivity environments.

Compliance & Standards

• Data Protection: Designed in accordance with Zambia’s Data Protection Act No. 3 of 2021
• Security: CSRF protection, encrypted passwords, session management, and Content Security Policy
• Accessibility: ARIA roles, keyboard navigation, and semantic HTML throughout
• Financial integrity: Immutable ledger entries and full audit trail for all transactions

Your Group’s Data

All data entered belongs to your savings group. SH Platform acts only as custodian. Group administrators retain full authority over membership records and financial data within their group.

Legal Status

SH Platform is a financial records management system, not a licensed financial institution. It does not hold, transfer, or invest funds on behalf of any group. All money management remains the responsibility of each group’s elected office bearers in accordance with their registered constitution.

Support

For technical issues or account queries, contact your group administrator first. Platform-level issues should be escalated to the SH Platform administrator assigned to your group.