Founders Story

After the murder of her father, Vanessa sought ways in which to meaningfully contribute towards the alleviation of crime in South Africa in a way, which was significant, achievable, tangible and would ultimately have a long term impact towards negating the high crime rate in SA. An assessment of successful criminal justice systems worldwide all pointed to one obvious solution: alleviation of crime in other countries was ultimately achieved through the implementation and development of a National DNA Criminal Intelligence Database.

Vanessa took a personal tragedy and drew on her own traumatic experience to start an organisation that aims to practically address the crime situation in South Africa through the expanded use of DNA evidence in conjunction with SA's National DNA Database. In order to do this she has had to, amongst other things, forge relationship with the SAPS as well as within Government, secure funding, master the Criminal Procedure Act and learn the scientific principles of DNA analysis. These tasks she has tackled with incredible drive and enthusiasm by keeping contact with the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), raising money to purchase equipment for the FSL & for DNA Awareness programmes, increasing her knowledge of Forensic Science by enrolling in a course on Biotechnology and accepting invitations to visit the Forensic Science Services in the U.K and the Netherlands Forensic Institute.

Vanessa says that whilst she is passionate about her work on the DNA Project, the irony of her undertaking is with her everyday, and comes at a great sacrifice — the murder of her father, John Lynch.

“I would like to believe that by making a difference, I can at least ensure that my father’s life was not taken in vain by creating something good out of something so awful. Perhaps the fulfillment of the objectives of the DNA Project will ensure that all those lives in SA that have been violated and taken from us so violently, may too be given the respect that they and their families deserve — it's time the majority took back, from what the small minority in this country have taken away from us."