Timaru has played a key role in improving the day to day lives of ordinary, impoverished people in a far-flung, war weary nation. Tracy Miles talks to Ross Sinclair of Netcon and Tony Woods of Sustainable Energy Services International.

When people think of Afghanistan, they think of the Taliban. They think of Willy Apiata and the soldiers of the Provincial Reconstruction Team.

They may even spare a thought for women in blue head-to-toe burqas, for barefoot, dusty children and for the hardship men, women and children face every day.

SUPPLIED HUGE SOLAR ARRAY: Set against the barren backdrop of the Bamiyan landscape, the project is the biggest off-grid solar contract ever undertaken by a New Zealand company.

What South Canterbury people may not have given much thought to is that Timaru is home to a band of men (and a woman) who have been working in unimaginably challenging conditions on a project that should make a huge difference to the people of Bamiyan.

Twelve Netcon Timaru staff have been living and working in the Afghanistan city on and off since October last year. Bamiyan was also home to the New Zealand Defence Force Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) until April.

The multi-million dollar renewable energy project is a partnership between Washdyke-based Alpine Energy subsidiary Netcon and Timaru man Tony Woods' company, Sustainable Energy Services International (Sesi).

HISTORIC LANDSCAPE: The cliffs of the background hold the remnants of giant Buddhas destroyed by the Taliban.

Previously the city of 418,500 people functioned on small diesel generators or no power at all.

Woods says the impact of the project was hard to overstate given that electricity underpins a multitude of development activities such as schools and hospitals.

He said watching the local people transition from deep suspicion and scepticism, to genuine excitement and hope, has been a highlight of the job.

SUN POWER: Inside the power house. The power of the sun collected by the solar panels is stored in batteries and converted for everyday use.

The project has had to overcome challenges that are foreign concepts to anyone used to doing business in New Zealand conditions.

Getting the job done includes coping with such things as delays in transporting materials across the various border crossings, and "the very difficult logistics situation in the country".

The Netcon staff - aged from early 20s to a grandfather, and some of whom had barely travelled out of New Zealand beforehand - volunteered for the power pole and lines side of the solar project. Some were there for 10 weeks, others for four months, some went twice and others three times. Two are still there.

The culture shock came not just from living and working in a war- ravaged country, but also from the very different diet, and difficult working conditions.

Netcon's Bamiyan project manager Ross Sinclair said one of the big things the men had to get used to was the very different work culture of the Afghans.

Whereas the Timaru guys were used to an eight-to-five work-day, no such concept exists in Afghanistan, where a family wedding might mean downing tools and heading off for a month.

"There would just be hundreds of instances they could tell you about, but that's just how they do it. They had to figure out (the Afghans') ethic of work and view of where work fits into their life.

"They have an extraordinary number of holidays, and a lot of the time off without much notice."

The Timaru crew was working with labourers and electricians with no English, and an interpreter was required to convey the simplest of instructions, Sinclair said.

They all lived together in a house with an Afghan cook, living mainly on rice and chicken. Despite the proximity of the PRT base, at least until April, Netcon and Sesi were responsible for security and the house was guarded by a low profile security guard.

However, every one of the Netcon staff had come back knowing they had an "unbelievable experience", and having a new appreciation for their quality of life in New Zealand.

They were treated like rock stars by the Afghans, and could not get over how grateful they were and despite having so little, they were "unbelievably generous", Sinclair said.

Sesi's Woods agreed the local community had been very supportive.

"We have needed their agreement and support on many issues, including land access, placing of power poles and agreement on where the power is to be run.

"They have also allowed us a few other unusual items like Timaru woman Karen Sandford (of Sesi) riding around on a dirt bike."

He said that from the outset, particular care was taken to investigate and understand the community's thoughts around the project.

"In our experience it is remarkable how fast changes like electricity are assimilated into the fabric of everyday life, and so life without electricity is forgotten faster than one might think."

So it was important to benchmark the community's status and thinking before starting the project or there would be nothing to compare it to "when we come back in two or three years and ask 'what changed?' "

He found it very interesting to see thoughts change within the community over the last year.

"For example, the community started off thinking that solar power never works for more than a year, and so surely this was just a government trick to placate them for a while, or that solar power was not 'real' power and so could never allow them to do what other people do in the big cities."

He said this type of thinking was common in a community that is "very sceptical" of government intentions and also expecting failure and disappointment rather than success.

Besides overcoming local suspicion, there were other hurdles.

The number one issue to overcome in Afghanistan was not security, but logistics.

Not only is the country landlocked but it is surrounded by countries like Iran and Pakistan which are difficult to transport through in their own right.

Moving the equipment needed, in the time-frame Sesi needed them, was "most challenging".

"Electrical and quality standards are rarely enforced here, and so demanding high quality materials from suppliers was an added challenge."

The project had to stay within a strict budget so costs were tightly controlled.

However Sesi's long involvement with renewable energy in Afghanistan "has helped us avoid the easy mistakes that are all around us here".

The defence force PRT pulling out in April did not tangibly change things on the ground for the project team, he said.

"However we increased our security status and as usual in this environment, took care with how we proceeded.

"We rely on the communities around us to help keep us safe."

He said he personally has not been concerned about security and the project had not struck any security problems.

"I think if you stay here long enough it is surprising what starts to feel normal."

He said despite the opening ceremony, in a real sense the project was only just beginning.

It was not just about solar panels, wires and poles - but also about health, education, economic growth and laying down a foundation for future development to build on.

The power system will be handed over to the local Government energy company for its future management.

That company's staff have been embedded into the project construction team for the last year to ensure they are familiar with the process on installation, maintenance and operation of all the system components.

An internet-enabled unit that allows international monitoring and system control has also been built.

"We can provide instant technical support from afar if it is needed."

Long term the challenges are primarily management, political and financial control.

In regards to the value of the project to Afghan people he said it was hard to overstate.

"Imagine a modern school or hospital without electricity?

"Even charging a simple cellphone becomes a challenge, let alone storing vaccines or anti venom for snakes or scorpions."

One obvious and immediate benefit was the provision of power to another New Zealand aid project that was building a cold storage facility for agricultural produce.

"This allows produce to be stored and sold later in the season and has already given farmers a 20 per cent boost in the prices paid directly to them, simply by knowing that it will be turned on and operating in the coming month."

It was real and sustainable growth, directly to those that are most at need.

He said the project was not the end of Afghanistan for him.

"We (Sesi) have been working there since 1999 and are pushing forward into new projects."

As for the next frontier?

Sesi has opened its offices in West Africa and is bidding for new work in Haiti.

"We see ourselves as good at delivering electricity into the 'hard' places, so that is where we are heading. We enjoy it."