Child Prodigy
By Farieha Aziz | People | Society | Published 14 years ago
Seventeen-year-old Zayd Enam tied for second place in the best pitch category at the recently held P@SHA Tech Crunch Gong Awards on October 14. While tying for second place may not seem like a big deal, in Zayd’s case, it was. To be the youngest participant, to deliver a presentation before the tycoons of the Pakistan tech industry with unwavering confidence and to receive a standing ovation, is no mean feat.
MediConnect, the company Zayd pitched, focuses on healthcare in Pakistan. By establishing an online database of credible hospitals and doctors, and by identifying diseases specific to certain localities, he aims to provide essential information that will empower people with basic knowledge and help them steer clear of quacks, who form a big part of the health sector.
Zayd has taken a one-year break after completing his AS-Levels, to give his full attention to MediConnect. He is working on making it a self-sustainable NGO so that in time, he can relieve himself of his current duties without it affecting the project’s functionality, and resume his studies at college.
Farieha Aziz is a Karachi-based journalist and teacher. She joined Newsline in 2007, rising to assistant editor. Farieha was awarded the APNS award for Best Investigative Report (Business/Economic) for the year 2007-2008. She is a co-founder and Director at Bolo Bhi, an advocacy forum of Digital Rights.