Thursday, January 19, 2012

Pakistan mourns Arfa - the IT girl genius

The tragic death of a 16-year-old Pakistani girl who was also a computer genius has cast a spotlight on an industry with huge potential for the country's youth.
Arfa with Gates at Microsoft HQ
Arfa Karim Randhawa, who became the world's youngest Microsoft Certified Professional at the age of nine, died at the weekend after a heart attack following an epileptic fit.
After Arfa passed the Microsoft exam in 2004, Bill Gates was so impressed by her that he invited her to the company's US headquarters.
When he found out she was ill, he also offered medical help and was in touch with her family.


Arfa's short life mirrors Pakistan's burgeoning engagement with information technology, an industry which holds out hope for youth embittered by unemployment and a lack of opportunities.
Read more: BBC News Asia 18 Jan
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