Telling her own story

Natalia Ndapandula Isak is a law graduate, a nail technician and a youth activist.

She lives by three principles - humility, compassion and understanding.

Isak takes pride in assisting others and says it''s something that is fulfilling for her.

“For me, helping people is something I want to grow old doing, it''s a great part of who I am and the type of story I''d like to leave behind someday when I''m gone.

“I''m also very much of an unapologetic feminist,” said Isak.

The law graduate says she puts her career and personal growth above any other worldly thing because that is how she has managed to “empower, inspire and motivate youth”.

Isak grew up in Walvis Bay and Windhoek and credits the places she was raised at as moulding her strong character.

“It''s not about the place, it''s more about the challenges I faced and circumstances around which I grew up.

“My experience growing up will always carry the same, single message: Irrespective of what you have or don''t have, the norms around you or the hardships you go through, you are not in any way disadvantaged when it comes to deciding how your story develops and how it ends,” said Isak.

Isak decided to study law in 2012 after failing to meet a few requirements needed for her to study accounting on a scholarship she got to study in Scotland.

She tried to apply for late registration for accounting at the University of Namibia (Unam) but there was no place for her.

“Unfortunately or fortunately, the accounting field at Unam was full by then so I decided to try this law thing because it was my second choice anyways.

“The plan was to just keep busy for 2012 and then move to accounting in 2013 but I fell in love with law. So for me law wasn''t a choice, it was a blessing in disguise and God''s plan for me,” shared Isak.

She owes most of the confidence she has to her career choice.

“When you pursue law studies, the one thing that will keep you going is your own ambition and determination.

“You won''t make it if you doubt yourself, because this is a field that requires much confidence,” said Isak.

She advises graduates to firstly aim to grow and enhance their experience at work and not let money cloud their goals in life.

“When you finally get the degree, don''t make it about the money just yet.

“First establish a credible profile and allow yourself time to practically learn in a highly professional environment,” shares Isak.

The law graduate says although the legal practice is mainly male dominated in Namibia she believes that female lawyers can thrive and be successful as legal practitioners if they put their minds to it.

“Female-owned law firms in Namibia are very rare so there is an opportunity for young female lawyers in Namibia to team up and change the game or bring to the market whatever it is that they feel is still lacking,” said Isak.

Isak shares that she is inspired by people who are caught up in difficult situations in life but still manage to overcome their challenges.

“I''m inspired by people that do their best under their specific circumstances.

“There is nothing like overall best for me, I would want to know how a student residing in Havana with no electricity, food or cab money to attend classes everyday managed to get that D symbol,” said Isak.

Isak says she is very conventional and is delighted by her cultural heritage.

“I love traditional food, traditional attire and prefer to live by some traditional principles,” said Isak.

After she lost her mother in 2001 a lot fell into place for her and that is when she realised that life would be altered for her.

“I just began to eventually understand that my life would be a little different, family life will be a little different and I would have to work a little differently compared to others. So with that understanding, I told myself that my story is going to end a little differently from what people thought back then and that''s how I ended up taking the direction I did,” said Isak.

The youth activist feels strongly about the lack of employment amongst graduates in Namibia and feels something needs to done about it.

“This worries me a lot because I feel like we are going back to square one, all the problems that we once resolved we might have to face again,” said Isak.

Isak believes that in order for unemployment and other issues that the youth face to be eliminated the mechanisms should be put in place to solve youth related issues.

Isak revealed that she is currently working on a women empowerment project that she wishes to launch early next year.

The project aims to address the economic challenges that women are facing by encouraging them to live physically and spiritually healthy lifestyles, strengthening their confidence and equipping them with various skills as may be relevant to the current economy.

Isak says she is nail technician and she loves her job and is thinking of venturing into events management to broaden her horizon.

Isak has hopes in the near future to work on more youth empowerment projects and to take her bar exams for admission as a legal practitioner, to pursue more business opportunities and continue her postgraduate studies.

Shona Ngava