The Zambezi Electronic Library (ZEL) continues to thrive in its marketplace location in the heart of Zambezi. Manager Karen has been working hard to bring new opportunities to the program. "Things just going on well and we are still working hard to see to it that our work will go to the next level," she said. She has been meeting with teachers at local elementary and high schools to see how ZEL can be implemented into their programs. There have also been others beyond the LMO students who have been using the library, making it a community asset.

We introduced WiFi just over a year ago, and that has added to ZEL's appeal. Students come to research papers, study for exams, and learn something new. "Students are always there to research their assignments, and to study for exams," she said.
One challenge, according to Manager Karen, is that all of Zambezi is experiencing power load shedding—when electricity is turned off from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to save energy. So ZEL staff needs to make sure that equipment is powered ahead of time, and sometimes they aren't able to meet during business hours.
"Hopefully next year things will be better," she said.

The staff is always changing, as kids go off to college. Karen has been the manager for two years, though her dream is to go to college. Mercy and Katimba just joined the staff, to fill the spaces of those who have moved on to study. Joseph is the assistant manager, and Frank is the security guard, ensuring the equipment remains safe.
ZEL offers a valuable resource to the Zambezi community, but it also provides jobs—in a place where jobs are scarce—to our beloved LMO graduates.
Comments