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SISTER NAMIBIA HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YVONNE DAUSAB AND LEARN ABOUT THE CURRENT HEAD OF THE LAW REFORM AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (LRDC).
SN: What was your dream job as a child and why?
YD: I grew up in Penning Street that was notorious for gangs and harassment of people in the location. As a child I experienced a very traumatic incident when an aunt of mine was stabbed to death in full view of my younger siblings and our neighbours. My life changed. By standard 2 (now grade 4) I knew I wanted something to do with justice and being a lawyer was penned in my memory forever.
Where did you attend your primary and secondary school?
I started my Grade 1 at Augeikas Primary School situated in Dolam in 1981, and because there was confusion about whether I am Damara or Nama, I was subsequently taken to A I Steenkamp Primary School, where I completed most of my elementary education with Moses van der Byl being a parenthesis before I went to A Shipena Secondary School in 1988 and that's where I completed my high school years, as a student leader (including being the head girl in 1992).
How would you describe your life growing up?
It was tough materially, because like many people I know, we were poor, but I had opportunities to study and to improve my life. Both my parents were present and I had loving and supporting older siblings. I had teachers that always looked out for me because I was a typical hardworking learner so I was not stranded. I had a home and even though it was crowded we had something to eat most times. My life as a child defined who I became in life. I easily share. I am communal. I work hard for what I have and I am always willing to learn and to teach.
Can you give us a brief trajectory of your career?
I became a lawyer through completing my BA (Law) and LLB studies at the University of the Western Cape during 1993-1997, with a full scholarship from the Legal Assistance Centre and subsequently completed my LLM (in Human Rights and African Democratisation), at the University of Pretoria...