Privacy policy
Last updated: 13 August 2026· Entry into force: 14 August 2026
At Okoumé, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information.
This policy explains what data we collect, why, with whom we share it, how long we retain it and what your rights are. It applies to our website and all our services.
We are based in South Africa. Our processing is governed by the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA, Act No. 4 of 2013). For visitors residing in the European Union, we also apply the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The rights described in this policy are granted to any person, regardless of their country of residence. Our users live mainly in Gabon and South Africa, and it would not be justifiable to reserve these protections for a single region.
1. Who is responsible for your data?
Okoumé, service of PRADeXPERIENCE
Address: 203 Blauwberg Road, Table View, Cape Town, 7441, South Africa
Email: hello@okou.me
WhatsApp : +27 67 212 7960
Site : https://okou.me
For the purposes of POPIA, Okoumé acts as a data controller (responsible party) for the data described below.
Information Officer Data Protection Officer
Name: Pradino
Email: hello@okou.me
2. The data we collect
2.1 Information you provide to us
During an initial contact or consultation: first name and surname, email address, telephone or WhatsApp number, country of residence, and any information you choose to provide to us.
When requesting a trip or joining the waiting list: proposed dates, departure city, number of travellers (adults, children, infants), indicative budget, points of interest and any additional information you would like to include.
During study support: degrees, transcripts, birth certificates, passport copies, financial proofs, language test results and documents required by institutions or immigration authorities.
During a relocation support session: professional information, household composition, documents required by the South African authorities.
During a medical appointment: medical documents and health information. This data is subject to enhanced protections — see section 4.
2.2 Automatically collected information
When you visit our site: IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed, date and time of visit. This data helps us improve the site and understand how it is used.
2.3 What we do not collect
We do not collect never full bank details, card numbers or payment identifiers. Payments intended for institutions — universities, schools, hospitals, accommodation providers — are made directly by you from these establishments. We do not hold these funds and do not have access to this information.
3. Why we use your data, and on what legal basis
| Purpose | POPIA framework | GDPR legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Answering your requests | Consent | Consent |
| Provide the requested services | Execution of a contract | Execution of a contract |
| Put together an application with an institution or administration | Consent / contract | Consent / contract |
| Improve the website and our services | Legitimate interest | Legitimate interest |
| Prevent fraud and abuse | Legitimate interest | Legitimate interest |
| Meet our legal obligations | Legal requirement | Legal requirement |
| Notifying you of a new departure (waiting list) | Consent | Consent |
We never sell your personal data. We neither exchange nor rent them to third parties for commercial purposes.
4. Health data and special categories of information
This section concerns people supported as part of a medical travel.
Information relating to your health constitutes special personal information within the meaning of POPIA. Their processing is prohibited in principle, unless legally authorised — the one we are applying being your written consent.
Our commitments
- Nothing is transmitted without prior written consent. A separate form specifies which documents are concerned, to whom they are forwarded, for what purpose and for how long.
- We do not translate medical documents ourselves. They are entrusted to specialist translators, bound by a written confidentiality agreement.
- We do not make any diagnoses or give any medical opinions. Okoumé is not a healthcare establishment and does not employ any healthcare professionals.
- The recipients are named to you prior to any dispatch.
- You can withdraw your consent in writing at any time. Withdrawal puts an end to future transmissions; it cannot cancel communications already legitimately made to a facility for your care.
Specific health data regulations have applied in South Africa since March 2026. Our practices are aligned with these requirements.
5. Data concerning children
Some of our services concern minors: schooling, family travel, medical support for a child.
A child's personal data is only processed with the consent of a competent person — as a general rule a parent or the legal representative — and only to the extent necessary for the service requested.
We never directly request data from a minor.
6. Who we share your data with
We only share your information with the recipients necessary for the service you request from us.
| Recipient | What is shared | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Website host | Technical data, form contents | How the site works |
| Email sending provider | Name, email address, message | Routing of our replies |
| Appointment booking tool | Name, email address, time slot | Organisation of consultations |
| WhatsApp (Meta) | Your number and messages | WhatsApp chat, initiated by you |
| Specialist translators | Documents to translate | Translation, under written confidentiality |
| Universities, colleges, language schools | Application pack | Application instruction |
| Healthcare facilities and practitioners | Medical record | Assessment of your care |
| Immigration authorities and submission centres | Required documents | Visa application instruction |
| Travel and accommodation providers | Name, dates, number of travellers | Bookings as requested |
Every recipient is required to protect your data and to process it only for the purposes we specify.
We do not receive any commission from healthcare facilities, practitioners, universities or schools in exchange for the referral of individuals. Our fees are paid by you and announced in advance.
7. International transfers
Our business connects Gabon and South Africa. Your data therefore necessarily travels between the two countries, and sometimes to other countries where our service providers are established.
POPIA regulates data transfers outside of South Africa. We rely on the following legal bases:
- your consent upon transfer; ;
- there necessity of performing the contract concluded with you, or pre-contractual measures taken at your request; ;
- ten contractual guarantees imposing a comparable level of protection on our service providers.
For visitors residing in the European Union, we take reasonable measures to maintain a level of protection compliant with GDPR requirements.
8. How long we keep your data
| Data type | Shelf life |
|---|---|
| Contact requests left unanswered | 12 month |
| Waiting list registrations | Until you unsubscribe, or 24 month of inactivity |
| Client files (studies, installation, travel) | 5 years after the end of the support |
| Medical records | to be completed months after the end of the medical treatment stay, followed by secure deletion |
| Accounting data and supporting documents | According to South African statutory durations |
| Site technical data | 26 month |
Following these retention periods, the data is securely deleted. You can request early deletion (see section 10).
9. Lead generation and communications
We only send electronic communications in two cases:
- You gave us your explicit consent — for example by signing up for the standby list.
- You are already a customer and the communication relates to services similar to those you requested.
Each message allows you to unsubscribe free of charge and without formality. Refusal is immediate and permanent.
Regarding the travel waiting list, our commitment is clear: we write to you only when a new departure is scheduled. No newsletter, no sales follow-up.
We never share your contact details for third-party direct marketing purposes.
10. Your rights
Whichever country you live in, you can:
- access to the data we hold about you; ;
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete data; ;
- request deletion of your data ;
- oppose you to object to processing or request restriction of it; ;
- withdraw your consent at any time; ;
- receive your data in a reusable format (portability); ;
- complain with the competent authority.
To exercise these rights, write to hello@okou.me. We respond within a reasonable timeframe and, in any event, within the time limits required by applicable law.
We may ask you to verify your identity before proceeding — this is for your protection.
Complaints. If our response does not satisfy you, you can enter:
- South Africa — Information Regulator (South Africa) : details to be completed
- European Union — the data protection authority of your country of residence.
11. Security
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures: restricted file access, secure storage of sensitive documents, written confidentiality commitments for all personnel, and deletion of data at the end of the scheduled retention periods.
However, no online system can guarantee absolute security.
In the event of a data breach likely to infringe your rights, we shall notify the competent authority and the individuals concerned as soon as possible, in accordance with the law.
12. Cookies
Our site may use cookies or similar technologies to remember your preferences, understand site usage and improve performance.
You can control or disable them from your browser settings, or via our cookie preferences page.
13. Links to third-party sites
Our site contains links to external sites — universities, public authorities, and official sources. We are not responsible for either their privacy practices or their content.
14. Modifications
We may update this policy. Any updated version is published on this page along with its revision date. In the event of a material change, we will notify the individuals concerned where possible.
15. Language
This policy is published in French and English. In the event of any discrepancy between the two versions, the English version shall prevail, South African law being applicable.
16. Contact us
Okoumé, PRADeXPERIENCE service
Email: hello@okou.me
WhatsApp : +27 67 212 7960
Site : https://okou.me
Information Officer: Pradino Akoue Mve and hello@okou.me
