GRAFEMOS DEVELOPMENT & RESEARCH ORGANIZATION

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TERMS OF USE

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Last Updated: October, 2026

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The Grafemos Development & Research Organization ("Grafemos", "we", "us", or "our") makes available to you the website located at www.grafemos.org and any associated online tools, portals, or platforms operated by Grafemos on which these Terms of Use are published (collectively, the "Website"). Access to and use of the Website is subject to your acceptance of and compliance with these website terms of use (the "Terms of Use").

BY ACCESSING, BROWSING, AND/OR USING THIS WEBSITE, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS OF USE AND OUR PRIVACY POLICY. IF YOU CANNOT OR DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS OF USE OR OUR PRIVACY POLICY, YOU MUST NOT ACCESS OR USE THIS WEBSITE.

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Grafemos reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to update, revise, supplement, and modify these Terms of Use at any time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the revised version on our Website. Your continued access or use of the Website after such modifications indicates your acceptance of and agreement to be bound by the updated Terms of Use. It is your responsibility to review these Terms of Use regularly.

Grafemos does not intentionally market its online services to unsupervised minors. If you are under 18 years of age (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction), you must obtain parental or legal guardian permission before providing any personal information or registering for programs through the Website. For in-person educational workshops and community-based activities in Guatemala, student participation and parental consents are managed directly in coordination with local schools, families, and community authorities under our established research ethics protocols.

 

1. ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

 

Grafemos is a non-profit educational and research organization headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operating in close partnership with the Ixkoj Ajkem Community Council of Mayan women weavers in Santo Domingo Xenacoj, Guatemala. Grafemos is dedicated to bringing complexity education, non-computational modelling tools, and instructional design professional development to formal (K-12) and informal educators in rural Mayan communities, as well as supporting research efforts aimed at decolonizing education.

 

2. DONATIONS, FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS, AND FRAUD PREVENTION

 

Donations made to Grafemos through the Website, or through verified third-party platform partners, are used to support our non-profit educational mission, including providing free professional development workshops, local facilitator contractors, learning materials, and community initiatives in Guatemala.

• Unrestricted Contributions: Unless explicitly restricted by an approved grant or written agreement, gifts made to Grafemos are considered unrestricted and will be allocated toward operational costs, local contractor fees, educational kits, or fundraising efforts where deemed most necessary by management.

• Fees & Processing: Online donations may be subject to standard payment processing fees charged by third-party processors (e.g., credit card networks or donation management tools).

• Tax Status & Deductibility Disclaimer: Grafemos is a not-for-profit corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada. It is not a registered charity in Canada and does not hold 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in the United States. Contributions are received with deep gratitude, but are not tax-deductible for income tax purposes in Canada, the United States, or Guatemala, unless expressly processed through an accredited, formally registered fiscal sponsor designated for such purposes.

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Anti-Fraud, Phishing & Official Donation Protection Policy

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Due to the high prevalence of online scams, unauthorized solicitations, and phishing attacks targeting international and local communities—including residents in Guatemala—Grafemos enforces a strict Official Solicitations Policy:

• Exclusive Official Channels: Grafemos collects direct and voluntary contributions ONLY through our official website (www.grafemos.org) or designated official payment portals explicitly linked from our Website.

• No Unsolicited Requests: Grafemos, its staff, board members, local coordinators, and facilitators will NEVER contact you via phone calls, direct emails, private social media messages, WhatsApp texts, or third-party money transfer services requesting direct payments, cash transfers, wire transfers, or gift card contributions.

• User Protection & Disclaimer: To protect yourself from fraud, ensure that any contribution is initiated directly through our official website. Grafemos disclaims all liability for financial losses, fraud, or damages arising from payments made to unauthorized third parties, fraudulent social media accounts, phishing attempts, or scam solicitations claiming to represent Grafemos.

• Reporting Suspicious Activity: If you receive a suspicious message, money request, or email claiming to represent Grafemos, do not click any links, transfer money, or provide personal details. Please immediately report suspicious activity to the Contact Us section at Grafemos.com.

 

3. WORKSHOP REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION

 

Grafemos offers professional development workshops and educational offerings through the Website, telephone, or local partner coordination.

• Eligibility & Tiers: Workshop access, fees, and sponsorships are structured according to participant categories (e.g., free access for local educators in Santo Domingo Xenacoj, reduced fees for other rural Mayan communities, and fee-based access for non-rural, urban, or international participants).

• Accuracy of Registration Data: You agree to provide accurate, truthful, and complete information when registering for any workshop, training session, or directory service.

• Program Modifications: Grafemos reserves the right to adjust workshop schedules, facilitators, locations, or virtual access tools without prior notice when necessary for operational or community well-being reasons.

 

4. CONDITIONS OF USE AND PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

 

Except as expressly authorized by Grafemos, any reproduction, modification, or distribution of Website materials or content, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Grafemos grants you a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive license to view, download, and retain copies of materials published on this Website for your personal, non-commercial, and educational use only, provided you do not remove or alter any copyright or proprietary notices.

You agree that you will not use any part of this Website to suggest any unauthorized relationship, endorsement, or affiliation between Grafemos and you or any third-party entity without prior written consent.

You further agree not to use the Website in connection with any of the following prohibited activities:

• Sending unsolicited promotional communications, spam, or impersonating another individual or organization;

• Engaging in illegal, fraudulent, or harmful activities, including unauthorized donation solicitations or phishing scams;

• Transmitting objectionable, offensive, defamatory, racist, or hateful material;

• Introducing malicious software, computer viruses, Trojan horses, worms, or disruptive code designed to damage or interfere with the Website operation; or

• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to any system, server, or anonymized educational research data stored by Grafemos.

 

5. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SOVEREIGNTY

 

Grafemos and its licensors (including community partner organizations such as the Ixkoj Ajkem Council) retain all rights, title, and interest in and to the Website, its design, text, graphics, educational frameworks, and proprietary products, including but not limited to: