Before she vanished in France eight days ago, the young woman had become an academic legend in Senegal. Her name – Diary Sow – is practically synonymous with achievement in this West African nation, which crunches grades every year and names a top student. Sow won that honour in 2018 and 2019. She landed a spot at a prestigious preparatory school in Paris and, her peers say, continued to ace classes. She published a novel last year at age 19. The Lycée Louis-le-Grand, alerted the Senegalese Embassy on Jan. 4 that Sow had stopped showing up. Nobody has heard from the student who was known to never miss a lecture – neither friends nor family. Paris police have shared no leads as they scour the city. The prosecutor’s office called the disappearance “worrying.” Senegalese President Macky Sall sent investigators to help, while Sow’s classmates embarked on their own search. By Tuesday, a team of eight had called 12 hospitals each. Hundreds of Senegalese expatriates in Paris and other French cities took to the streets this week, passing out pamphlets featuring Sow’s face and a number to call. Video shows them chanting, “Ensemble allons chercher Diary Sow.” Together let’s find Diary Sow.
SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST