Terms of Use
Last Updated: November 18, 2025
Welcome to OurRoots.Africa. These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of our website, services, and communications, including WhatsApp Business messaging. By accessing or using our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms.
Important: Please read these Terms carefully. By using our website, signing up for our waitlist, or communicating with us via WhatsApp, email, or other channels, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy.
1. About Us
Legal Entity: 3Men Pty Ltd
Trading Name: OurRoots.Africa
ABN: 83678873839
Address: 81–83 Campbell Road, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia
Contact Email: support@ourroots.africa
Phone: +61 433 960 900
OurRoots.Africa is a heritage travel platform designed to support people of the African diaspora in their journey to connect with their roots through culturally-aware, trauma-informed travel experiences.
2. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing our website, signing up for our waitlist, joining as a founding member, or using any of our services (including WhatsApp communications), you agree to:
- Comply with these Terms of Use
- Comply with our Privacy Policy
- Comply with all applicable laws and regulations
- Be at least 18 years of age or have parental/guardian consent
If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use our services.
3. Services Overview
3.1 Current Services (Pre-Launch)
OurRoots.Africa is currently in pre-launch phase. Our current services include:
- Waitlist Registration: Sign up to receive early access and updates about our platform launch (March 2026)
- Founding Member Program: Exclusive membership opportunities with lifetime benefits
- Communications: Updates, cultural insights, and community announcements via email and WhatsApp
- Research Participation: Opportunities to participate in surveys and provide feedback
3.2 Future Services (Post-Launch)
Upon launch in March 2026, OurRoots.Africa will offer:
- AI Cultural Companion: 24/7 WhatsApp-based support for cultural questions and emotional guidance
- Comprehensive Platform: Emotional preparation content, cultural training, heritage site guidance, and vetted service providers
- Ongoing Community: Connection with other heritage seekers and Ghanaian family/community
- Travel Booking Services: Booking and coordination of heritage travel experiences
4. User Accounts and Registration
4.1 Account Creation
To access certain features, you may need to create an account by providing:
- Accurate and complete information
- A valid email address
- A secure password (when account features are launched)
- Optional: WhatsApp number for communications
4.2 Account Security
You are responsible for:
- Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
- All activities that occur under your account
- Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized access or security breach
4.3 Account Termination
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account if:
- You violate these Terms
- You engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
- You abuse our services or harass other users
- Your account has been inactive for an extended period
5. WhatsApp Business Communications
5.1 Opt-In and Consent
By providing your WhatsApp number and opting in to receive communications, you:
- Consent to receive messages from OurRoots.Africa via WhatsApp
- Acknowledge that standard messaging rates may apply (charged by your mobile carrier)
- Confirm that you are the owner or authorized user of the WhatsApp number provided
- Agree to receive both transactional and marketing messages (unless you opt out of marketing)
5.2 Types of Messages
We may send you the following types of WhatsApp messages:
- Transactional Messages: Account updates, booking confirmations, service notifications, customer support responses
- Marketing Messages: Product updates, promotional offers, cultural insights, travel tips, community announcements
- AI Assistant Messages: Responses to your cultural questions and emotional support inquiries (post-launch)
5.3 Opt-Out
You may opt out of WhatsApp communications at any time by:
- Replying "STOP" or "UNSUBSCRIBE" to any message
- Emailing support@ourroots.africa
- Blocking our WhatsApp Business number
Note: Opting out of marketing messages will not stop transactional or service-related messages if you are an active customer.
5.4 Acceptable Use of WhatsApp
When communicating with us via WhatsApp, you agree not to:
- Send spam, unsolicited messages, or promotional content
- Use abusive, threatening, or offensive language
- Impersonate others or misrepresent your identity
- Share illegal, harmful, or inappropriate content
- Attempt to hack, disrupt, or compromise our systems
6. Intellectual Property Rights
6.1 Our Content
All content on OurRoots.Africa, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, videos, software, and design, is the property of 3Men Pty Ltd or its licensors and is protected by:
- Copyright laws
- Trademark laws
- Other intellectual property rights
6.2 Limited License
We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to:
- Access and use our website for personal, non-commercial purposes
- View and download content for personal use only
You may not:
- Reproduce, distribute, or publicly display our content without permission
- Modify, reverse engineer, or create derivative works
- Use our content for commercial purposes
- Remove copyright or trademark notices
6.3 User-Generated Content
If you submit content to us (e.g., feedback, testimonials, survey responses), you grant us a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual license to use, reproduce, modify, and display that content for business purposes.
7. Payment and Refunds
7.1 Pre-Launch Phase
During the pre-launch phase, we do not currently accept payments for services. Waitlist registration and founding member inquiries are free.
7.2 Post-Launch Payments
Upon launch, paid services will be subject to the following terms:
- Pricing: All prices will be displayed in USD or your local currency
- Payment Methods: Credit card, debit card, or other approved payment methods
- Billing: Subscription services will be billed on a recurring basis (monthly, annually, etc.)
- Taxes: Prices may be subject to applicable taxes and fees
7.3 Refund Policy
Our refund policy will be published upon launch and will comply with Australian Consumer Law. Generally:
- Founding Members: Lifetime benefits are non-refundable once activated
- Subscription Services: Refunds may be available within a specified period (e.g., 14 days)
- Travel Bookings: Refund eligibility depends on provider cancellation policies
For refund requests, contact support@ourroots.africa.
8. Prohibited Conduct
You agree not to:
- Violate any laws, regulations, or third-party rights
- Use our services for fraudulent, illegal, or harmful purposes
- Harass, threaten, or abuse other users or our staff
- Impersonate others or misrepresent your affiliation
- Upload viruses, malware, or malicious code
- Scrape, crawl, or use automated tools to access our website
- Interfere with or disrupt our services or servers
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
9. Third-Party Links and Services
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or resources. We are not responsible for:
- The content, accuracy, or availability of third-party sites
- The privacy practices or terms of third-party services
- Any damages or losses arising from your use of third-party services
Your use of third-party services is at your own risk and subject to their terms and conditions.
10. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability
10.1 Service "As Is"
Our services are provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to:
- Warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
- Warranties of accuracy, reliability, or completeness
- Warranties of uninterrupted or error-free service
10.2 Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, 3Men Pty Ltd and its directors, employees, and agents shall not be liable for:
- Indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages
- Loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities
- Damages arising from your use or inability to use our services
- Damages arising from third-party content or services
Our total liability for any claim arising from these Terms or our services shall not exceed the amount you paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim (or AUD $100 if no payment was made).
10.3 Australian Consumer Law
Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts, or modifies any consumer rights or remedies under the Australian Consumer Law or other applicable laws that cannot be excluded, restricted, or modified by agreement.
11. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless 3Men Pty Ltd, its directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:
- Your use of our services
- Your violation of these Terms
- Your violation of any third-party rights
- Your negligence or willful misconduct
12. Termination
12.1 Termination by You
You may terminate your account or stop using our services at any time by:
- Emailing support@ourroots.africa
- Opting out of all communications
- Deleting your account (when account features are launched)
12.2 Termination by Us
We may suspend or terminate your access to our services immediately, without notice, if:
- You violate these Terms
- You engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
- We are required to do so by law
- We discontinue our services
12.3 Effect of Termination
Upon termination:
- Your right to use our services will immediately cease
- We may delete your account and data (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Provisions of these Terms that should survive termination (e.g., liability limitations, indemnification) will remain in effect
13. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
13.1 Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. You agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales for any disputes arising from these Terms or our services.
13.2 Dispute Resolution
Before initiating legal proceedings, you agree to:
- Contact us at support@ourroots.africa to attempt to resolve the dispute informally
- Participate in good-faith negotiations for at least 30 days
- Consider mediation or arbitration if informal resolution fails
14. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or business practices. We will notify you of material changes by:
- Posting the updated Terms on our website with a new "Last Updated" date
- Sending an email notification to registered users
- Providing a notice via WhatsApp (for significant changes)
Your continued use of our services after the updated Terms take effect constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using our services.
15. General Provisions
15.1 Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and 3Men Pty Ltd regarding your use of our services.
15.2 Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
15.3 Waiver
Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that provision or our right to enforce it in the future.
15.4 Assignment
You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign or transfer our rights and obligations without restriction.
15.5 Force Majeure
We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, war, terrorism, natural disasters, pandemics, or government actions.
16. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback regarding these Terms, please contact us:
3Men Pty Ltd (T/A OurRoots.Africa)
ABN: 83678873839
81–83 Campbell Road, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia
support@ourroots.africa | +61 433 960 900
