Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service govern your use of the CHIVARA platform, including all content, features, and services. By accessing or using CHIVARA you confirm you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

2. Platform Description

CHIVARA is an educational platform focused on the Shona language and Zimbabwean cultural heritage. It provides dictionary access (Duramazwi), translation tools, cultural Ruzivo, a learning management system (LMS), quizzes, and certification services.

3. User Accounts

• You must provide accurate and complete registration information.
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password.
• You must notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account.
• One person may not maintain more than one account unless explicitly permitted.
• Accounts for users under 18 require the consent of a parent or legal guardian where required by applicable law.

4. Permitted Use

You may use CHIVARA for personal, educational, and non-commercial purposes. You agree not to:

• Use the platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of applicable laws
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the platform or its infrastructure
• Submit false, misleading, or culturally disrespectful content
• Scrape, harvest, or systematically extract data from the platform without written permission
• Impersonate another person or entity
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the platform
• Use automated tools to create accounts or submit content in bulk

5. Content Submissions

By submitting content (Ruzivo, translations, cultural entries) you:

• Confirm you have the right to submit it and it does not infringe any third-party rights
• Grant CHIVARA a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, display, and distribute the content on the platform
• Understand submissions are subject to moderation and may be rejected or edited
• Acknowledge that cultural knowledge is presented for educational purposes and may vary by region and tradition

6. Intellectual Property

All platform software, design, branding, and original content (including course materials created by CHIVARA) is owned by CHIVARA and protected by copyright and intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works without written permission.

Community-submitted cultural knowledge (tsumo, madimikira, izwi entries, etc.) remains part of the cultural commons — CHIVARA does not claim exclusive ownership of traditional Shona cultural content.

7. LMS & Certifications

• Certificates are issued upon satisfactory completion of a course as determined by the relevant tutor or institution
• CHIVARA certificates represent completion of platform-based learning and do not replace formal academic qualifications unless explicitly stated by an accredited institution
• Certificate verification is available to employers and third parties via the public verification portal

8. Disclaimers

9. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, CHIVARA shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the platform. Our total liability for any claim shall not exceed the amount you have paid to CHIVARA in the preceding 12 months (or the equivalent of USD 25 if no payment has been made).

10. Termination

CHIVARA reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, with or without notice. You may delete your account at any time by contacting support@chivara.co.zw. Upon termination, your right to use the platform ceases immediately.

11. Governing Law & Disputes

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Zimbabwe and, where applicable, South Africa (POPIA). Any disputes shall first be subject to good-faith negotiation; if unresolved, to the jurisdiction of the courts of Zimbabwe. Nothing in these Terms excludes statutory rights you may have under applicable consumer protection laws.

12. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify registered users by email for material changes. Continued use of the platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

13. Contact

For any questions about these Terms: legal@chivara.co.zw