Zahra: Pioneer In Renewable Energy, Power Station Production

KABUL (Pajhwok): Amid Afghanistan's electricity shortages, a young girl in Kabul is working with limited resources but a big dream to find a sustainable solution to the matter by producing small-scale power stations.

Zahra Ali, 23, believes that hardships, initially painful, can act as a catalyst for resilience. Her inspiration was born out of darkness, both literal and metaphorical, which motivated her to bring light not just to her own life but to the lives of others.

Born in Kabul, Zahra completed her secondary education at Sayedul Nasiri High School in 2019.

She says the motivation to start working arose from the many challenges she faced in life, which taught her that adversity shapes stronger individuals.

“I never wanted to be someone who gives up in the face of difficulty,” she said.
“My motivation began when my problems began. I wanted to stand up and work because I'm passionate about success and recognition. That desire gave me the courage to take the first step. Work gives me a sense of progress and purpose - I believe I can achieve my dreams. I've always loved the technical field and wanted to be part of it.”

At first, Zahra was uncertain about how people would respond to her product. However, after building her first power station and receiving positive feedback within the first week, her confidence grew.

Orders soon started coming in from provinces across the country.

She launched her business with minimal capital. The first power station was built using Tesla lithium batteries imported through ground cargo from abroad, while other materials were sourced locally.

“In the beginning, I was worried whether people would accept my product. But after the first unit received excellent feedback, my confidence grew. Today, we produce 10 to 12 power stations daily, each assembled in just two hours and dispatched to different provinces,” she said.

Zahra recalls that when she began, she stood alone-even her family was initially hesitant due to the uncertain circumstances.

“But my vision and goals were always in front of me. I never wanted to quit. I took every challenge upon myself and carried the weight of my struggles,” she added.

Her power stations contain solar panels, generator or machine-rechargeable, lightweight, portable and have a lifespan of over 10 years.

“While imported acid-based power stations cost up to 26,000 afghanis, we produce the same capacity units for just 10,000 afghanis - with three years of after-sales service included,” she said.

Zahra has no plans to stop here. She aims to design robots that can be used in agriculture, factories and for manual tasks, enabling people to earn an income even from home.

She is also involved in importing and refurbishing electric bicycles.

“We import used bicycles, repair and upgrade them, then return them to market. While the batteries are imported, all other components are sourced locally in Kabul.”

Zahra works under the supervision of her mentor, Hasibullah Naibkhil, who has professional experience with lithium battery technologies abroad.

He says Zahra has now been working in the field for three years and builds power stations independently from start to finish.

“I trained abroad in lithium battery systems and voltage technologies. Now we are back in Afghanistan, working as a team - led by myself and Zahra, alongside several colleagues,” Naibkhil said.

He noted that while some components are still imported, the team is striving to make the entire production process locally and become fully self-reliant.

“At present, we can build power stations with up to 5-kilowatt capacity. Our goal is to eventually produce 1-megawatt systems to harness Afghanistan's abundant solar and wind energy.”

Naibkhil emphasised that Afghanistan enjoys sunshine five days out of every seven - a significant natural advantage.

“Let's join hands and turn Afghanistan's sunshine into a source of prosperity, making the country energy self-sufficient,” he urged.

He added that Zahra's power stations are user-friendly, require no technical training to install, and are capable of powering a wide range of household devices.

“They're not just for lighting - they can run washing machines, laptops, and incubators, offering both AC and DC electricity,” he concluded.

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