Greetings from Timor Leste.

The ATA International Projects Group(IPG) has been in Timor since 14 September.

For the first week the IPG conducted a training session with participants from all around Timor. The training was well received by the participants and will hopefully serve as the foundation for further training sessions in the area of renewable energy. The trainees will be participating in the installations the IPG is conducting in Timor over the coming months.

A fresh group of volunteers have arrived from Melbourne, Adelaide and Cairns with enthusiasm and a hectic schedule. This was consolidated by a beautiful dinner of a large fresh snapper and local salads and greens, on the Dili waterfront. The meal was slightly deceptive because on the next day work was to begin.

A day was spent organising project components ready for transport and a bright yellow (tip) truck arrived to pick up the project equipment for installations. Alan, Mary, Peter, John, Justin and Sarah then embarked up the mountain ranges on an eight hour journey to Zumalai to commence their first projects.

Over the next week they will be installing solar power at the Zumalai compound of the Carmalites, strengthening the solar power system at the Suai community radio station and providing lighting to a health clinic outside of Ainaro.

Meanwhile Mike and Chris have traveled to Same to visit the IPG volunteer who decided to go local – Geoff Collins. Geoff is working at a mechanical workshop in Same and undertaking an energy efficiency project across the entire town – replacing all of the light globes with energy efficient CFL’s. Following this they will be installing solar power at the PERMATIL Permaculture Institute – 2’1/2 hours drive up a rough track in Turaskai.

Meanwhile your humble scribe is busy in Dili, working on final plans for the Village Lighting Scheme and the other solar power installations planned for this year and next.

Adios from Timor Leste.

Anton Vikstrom
ATA International Projects Manager

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 at 12:06 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.