Application Terms of Service

1. About Gift of Sight Trust

Gift of Sight Trust is a registered non-profit Trust based in South Africa. Our mission is to facilitate access to sight-restoring eye surgery for individuals who cannot afford it. The Trust is administered by Parallel Tech PTY Ltd on behalf of the Trustees.

We are not a medical provider, medical aid scheme, or insurer. We do not perform surgery, diagnose conditions, or make medical decisions. We assess applications for financial assistance and coordinate with qualified medical professionals where assistance is approved.

2. Eligibility

To apply you must:

• Be 18 years of age or older, or be a lawful guardian applying on behalf of a minor;
• Be a South African resident or lawful occupant;
• Require eye surgery that has been recommended or is likely to be recommended by a qualified ophthalmologist; and
• Not have the financial means to fund the surgery privately or through a registered medical aid.

Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee approval. All applications are assessed at the sole discretion of the Trust based on available funds and medical priority.

3. Application Fee

A non-refundable application processing fee of R150.00 (ZAR) is payable at the time of submission. This fee covers administrative processing and does not constitute a commitment by the Trust to fund or facilitate your surgery.

Payment is processed securely through PayFast. The Trust does not store your card or banking details. You will receive a payment confirmation by email. If your application is unsuccessful the R150 fee will not be refunded.

In the event of a technical failure that prevents your application from being recorded after payment, contact us at info@giftofsighttrust.org within 14 days and we will investigate and remedy the situation.

4. Health and Personal Information

Your application will require you to submit personal information and health information (as defined in the Protection of Personal Information Act, Act 4 of 2013 — "POPIA"). By submitting your application you explicitly consent to the Trust collecting, processing, and retaining this information for the purposes of assessing and administering your application.

Health information is treated as special personal information under POPIA s.26 and is subject to heightened protection. We will only share your health information with medical professionals or partners directly involved in assessing or delivering your care. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

5. Application Outcome

The Trust will notify you of the outcome of your application by email within a reasonable period. Approval is subject to available funding, medical assessment, and the Trust's operational capacity.

If approved, the Trust will coordinate with you and relevant medical professionals regarding next steps. Approval does not guarantee a specific surgeon, facility, date, or outcome.

The Trust reserves the right to withdraw approval if it later determines that information provided in the application was materially false or misleading.

6. Fundraising Assistance

Where an applicant elects to raise funds through our platform, funds collected are held on behalf of the applicant's surgery and disbursed directly to approved medical providers. Surplus funds following a completed surgery, or funds collected where surgery does not proceed, will be retained by the Trust and allocated to other deserving applicants unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Fundraising activities conducted through our platform are subject to compliance with the Fundraising Act (Act 107 of 1978).

7. Prohibited Conduct

You must not:

• Submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information in your application;
• Apply on behalf of another person without their lawful authority;
• Attempt to circumvent or manipulate the application or payment process; or
• Use this platform for any purpose other than submitting a genuine application.

The Trust reserves the right to report suspected fraud to the South African Police Service and to pursue civil and criminal remedies.

8. Medical Disclaimer

Nothing on this platform constitutes medical advice. The Trust does not assess your medical suitability for surgery — that is the exclusive responsibility of qualified medical professionals. All medical decisions are made by licensed practitioners in accordance with their professional obligations.

The Trust is not a medical aid scheme registered under the Medical Schemes Act (Act 131 of 1998) and does not provide medical insurance.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by South African law, the Trust, its Trustees, administrators, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any indirect, consequential, special, or incidental loss or damage arising from your application, any medical procedure, or any reliance on information provided through this platform.

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from or related to your application shall not exceed the R150 application fee paid.

10. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts.

11. Changes to These Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The version in effect at the time you submit your application is the version that applies to your application. We will notify registered users of material changes by email.

12. Contact

For questions about your application or these terms, contact us at info@giftofsighttrust.org or visit our contact page.