MINGORA: Tahira Mohammad, the first female IT expert in Swat, has thanked Asifa Bhutto Zardari and other philanthropists extending support to her to pursue her dream of becoming software engineer.

Tahira, 17, was looked after by her mother, a domestic worker, after her father died when she was just oneyear-old. She has become the first female IT expert in Swat. Recently, her story was carried by media. She was quoted as saying that financial hurdles made it difficult for her to become a software engineer.

However, several philanthropists including Asifa Bhutto Zardari, the younger daughter of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari helped her.

`Asifa Bhutto Zardari talked to me on phone to discuss my future plans. She sent Rs200,000 for medical treatment of my mother and offered to finance my education at Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) or any other university in the country,` Tahria told Dawn.

She said that many IT experts also called her from across the country and shared different ideas with her. She said that she did not expect such a quick response.

`I am really grateful to Asifa Bhutto and all other philanthropists, who pledged financial help for my education,` said Tahira.

She added that she would work hard and become software engineer.

Tahira`s mother worked as domestic worker after death of her husband and tried to educate her daughter. However, she stopped working after suffering from hepatitis C.

Responding to the situation, Tahira started teaching at a private school to earn livelihood and also continue her education.

`Since I left work, Tahira started supporting me and carried on her education.

She is not like other girls.

She proved herself better than a boy. People from across the country helped us when they came to l(now about our situation. I have not enough words to thank them,` she said with tears in her eyes.