26 Jul 2007
by Lance Bombardier Tim Bernard

Salam! from a place on the other side of the world, Bamyan, Afghanistan. Salam is the greeting we get from the locals, the majority of whom are very friendly.

For a place that doesn’t have a lot and that has been through many struggles, it’s strange, in a way, to see how everyone can be so happy about their lives. We really don’t know how lucky we are.

“Scott Base” in Panjaw District is where Kiwi 4 is based during the patrol cycles. The district seems to be free of conflict, which is giving the local people opportunities to rebuild their lives.

In the summer months a lot of work gets done, building houses, rebuilding bridges that get washed away in the winter months, digging crops and sourcing water for their drinking and irrigation needs. 

Our patrols cover a wide area and when we get around the place it’s good to see how much help and aid the Kiwis have given.

Recently, over our June patrol, we’ve seen the devastating effects landslides can have to the area and the people. In the Western part of our Area of Operations (AO), a landslide took out half a village and a main road which is frequently used to bring in necessary goods to the Panjaw district.

At the end of June, another landslide wiped out a main access road in the Southern area having the same effects, but also killing two local children.

Part of our patrolling is delivering Humanitarian Aid and reconstruction equipment to the local areas so the people can get on with their basic lives. 

Basics such as water doesn't come easy to some of the villages, so they require additional building equipment to get their water supplies flowing.

I’m sure the people are pleased we’re here, for the security and to help rebuild their regions.  Sometimes we feel like we are doing very little but we know what we are doing it is making a big difference in the lives of the people here.