For many young people growing up in rural Zambia, education represents a route towards a different life. It promises opportunity, mobility and a chance to move beyond the economic circumstances into which one was born.
But getting an education does not necessarily mean the struggle is over.
That is the starting point for Preparing the Ground: Zakeyo’s Struggle for Education and Freedom, a literary novel by Zambian author Penias Phiri.
The novel follows Zakeyo, a young man from the rural community of Kalikongwe, whose determination to pursue education takes him from village life to university and eventually into the difficult reality that follows graduation.
Zakeyo's journey begins with the familiar hope that education can change the trajectory of his life. But as the story develops, that promise meets the realities of unemployment, financial hardship, difficult relationships and limited opportunities.
In this sense, the novel moves beyond the familiar narrative of education as an automatic pathway to success.
Zakeyo earns his education, but the next stage of his life presents another set of challenges. The transition from university into the wider economy becomes a test of resilience, particularly in an environment where qualifications do not always translate into employment or financial security.
The story also remains connected to the community Zakeyo comes from.
Traditional beliefs, cultural expectations, jealousy and conflicts within the community continue to shape his experiences. His movement into university and the wider world does not completely separate him from the social environment that formed him.
This gives the novel two dimensions: it is both the story of one young man's attempt to build a better life and an exploration of some of the pressures surrounding education, poverty and social mobility.
Phiri also draws on African oral traditions and village life, giving the story a distinctly Zambian setting while engaging with contemporary issues.
Questions around unemployment, education, poverty, cultural identity, love and the search for opportunity run through Zakeyo's journey.
The title itself offers an important clue to the novel's central idea.
Preparing the Ground suggests that progress is often preceded by a long period of work that may not immediately produce visible results. The effort invested in education, personal development and perseverance may take time before its value becomes apparent.
That idea gives the novel relevance beyond Zakeyo's individual story.
For many young people, particularly those from communities where economic opportunities are limited, education can represent years of sacrifice and expectation. Yet the transition from education to independence can bring another period of uncertainty.
Preparing the Ground explores that space between aspiration and reality.
Rather than presenting success as a straight line, Phiri's novel follows a young man through setbacks, relationships, social pressures and economic difficulties as he continues trying to find his place.
For readers interested in contemporary Zambian fiction, the novel offers a story grounded in rural life while engaging with questions that extend well beyond the village — what education can and cannot provide, what happens after graduation, and how much persistence is required when the promised opportunities do not arrive immediately.
Preparing the Ground: Zakeyo’s Struggle for Education and Freedom is available through Sotrane Publishers for ZMW 350.
Book Spotlight is a KSJ editorial feature highlighting books by Zambian and African authors and the ideas, experiences and social questions explored in their work.
