Terms and Conditions

Effective date: July 16, 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing Swahili Lab, creating an account, purchasing a course package, joining a virtual class, registering as a teacher/native speaker, or using any related services, you agree to these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree, you should not use the platform.

2. Platform Purpose

Swahili Lab is a structured Swahili learning marketplace and cultural learning platform. The platform connects learners with verified or reviewed native Swahili speakers and teachers, provides structured learning tracks, supports virtual class coordination, and offers related services such as translation, interpretation, travel-language support, cultural resources, and learning materials.

3. Course Package and Payment

The standard Swahili Lab course package is priced at $200 per selected course track. This amount covers platform access, coordination, teacher matching, and up to five guided lesson hours for the selected track. Unless otherwise stated in writing, the package may be scheduled as one hour per week for up to five weeks, one hour per day for five days, or another schedule agreed between the learner and the assigned teacher through Swahili Lab.

4. Teacher Matching and Learning Agreement

After purchase, the learner may be required to complete a learner profile, identify learning goals, and submit scheduling preferences. Swahili Lab may then publish or broadcast the learner need to eligible teachers/native speakers or otherwise facilitate a suitable match. Teachers are expected to follow Swahili Lab structured learning plans while adapting the class delivery to the learner’s practical goals.

5. Scheduling, Attendance, and Adjustments

Class scheduling must be agreed between the learner and teacher within the platform or approved communication flow. Further adjustments, extensions, professional training, group classes, fluent Swahili pathways, or customized arrangements must be requested through the website. Swahili Lab exists to reduce disconnect between parties, improve accountability, and avoid conflict.

6. Virtual Classroom, Monitoring, and Recording

Virtual classes may include live video, chat, shared resources, notes, class participation tools, and platform moderation. By joining a Swahili Lab class, users acknowledge that sessions may be monitored and recorded for quality improvement, dispute prevention, confirmation of class delivery, safety, and service improvement. Recordings and class records must not be copied, redistributed, or published without authorization.

7. Learner Responsibilities

Learners must provide accurate profile information, attend scheduled sessions on time, communicate respectfully, use purchased access only for their own learning needs, and avoid harassment, abuse, disruptive behavior, fraud, unauthorized recording, or misuse of teacher information.

8. Teacher/Native Speaker Responsibilities

Teachers and native speakers must provide accurate onboarding information, comply with Swahili Lab verification and monitoring requirements, deliver classes professionally, follow the structured course plan, maintain respectful communication, avoid unauthorized side arrangements that undermine the platform, and protect learner privacy.

9. Teacher Fees and Platform Rules

Swahili Lab may set teacher onboarding fees, job pickup fees, promotional offers, or other teacher participation rules. During promotional periods, teacher enrollment may be free. Swahili Lab may charge teacher registration or assignment-related fees as published on the website or communicated during onboarding.

10. Refunds, Cancellations, and Disputes

Refund eligibility depends on the status of matching, scheduling, class attendance, and service delivery. Once a learner has been matched with a teacher and the learning process has begun, refunds may be limited or unavailable except where Swahili Lab determines that a service failure occurred. Disputes must be submitted through the website so Swahili Lab can review records, class attendance, communication, and recordings where applicable.

11. Community Access

Some community pages, teacher selection areas, learner profiles, classroom tools, and matching features may be restricted to paid learners, approved teachers, or authorized Swahili Lab team members. Users must not attempt to bypass access controls or share restricted content with unauthorized persons.

12. Intellectual Property

Swahili Lab content, structured learning plans, graphics, course materials, website design, cultural resources, classroom layouts, and platform processes are owned by Swahili Lab or licensed to Swahili Lab unless otherwise stated. Users may not copy, sell, redistribute, or reproduce platform materials without written permission.

13. User Content

Users may submit profile information, learning goals, messages, ratings, availability information, uploaded media, class notes, and other content. By submitting content, users grant Swahili Lab permission to use it for platform operation, matching, moderation, service delivery, support, quality improvement, and compliance purposes.

14. Prohibited Conduct

Users may not use Swahili Lab for fraud, harassment, discrimination, illegal activity, spam, impersonation, payment circumvention, unauthorized data collection, harmful software, unauthorized advertising, or any conduct that damages the platform, learners, teachers, or community trust.

15. Service Availability

Swahili Lab may update, suspend, modify, or discontinue features at any time. Virtual classroom tools, payment systems, hosting infrastructure, and communication tools may experience downtime or technical issues. Swahili Lab will make reasonable efforts to maintain a functional platform but does not guarantee uninterrupted access.

16. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Swahili Lab is not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive, or business losses arising from platform use, scheduling disagreements, third-party service failures, internet connectivity, user misconduct, or learning outcomes. Swahili Lab’s role is to coordinate and structure the learning experience; language improvement depends on attendance, participation, practice, and learner effort.

17. Changes to Terms

Swahili Lab may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. Continued use of the platform after changes are posted means you accept the updated terms.

18. Contact

Questions about these Terms and Conditions should be submitted through the Swahili Lab Contact page.