In a remarkable display of progress and resilience, the village of Sheikh Wasan in the Kurdistan Region has been transformed into a clean and sustainable community, powered entirely by off-grid solar energy. This groundbreaking initiative is the result of the tireless efforts of the Rwanga Foundation and its founder, Idris Nechirvan Barzani.
The village, which 38 years ago bore witness to a devastating chemical attack by Iraqi forces that claimed the lives of 211 civilians, has now been equipped with 72 solar systems, consisting of 432 high-efficiency panels. These panels provide reliable and uninterrupted electricity to every home, as well as the local mosque, school, health center, and Martyrs’ Hall. As a result, the village’s 281 residents now have access to 24-hour electricity, a luxury that was previously unimaginable.
Idris Nechirvan Barzani, a young Kurdish businessman and philanthropist, has been a driving force behind the project. He stated, “These villages paid the heaviest price under the former regime. Providing them with clean, sustainable energy is the least we can do – not as charity, but as restitution and an act of justice.”
The chemical attack on Sheikh Wasan, which occurred on 16 August 1987, is recognized as the first of its kind against Kurdish civilians, preceding the infamous Halabja massacre by eight months. The attack left behind a trail of devastation, with survivors being separated from their families and many children losing their lives in detention camps.
Rwanga Foundation, which has been dedicated to transforming neglected rural communities into fully solar-powered ones since 2013, has not only provided reliable electricity to Sheikh Wasan but has also created job opportunities in installation, maintenance, and small-scale agriculture. The success of this project is a testament to the foundation’s commitment to promoting sustainable development in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
The installation of solar panels in Sheikh Wasan has been met with joy and gratitude by survivors and their descendants, who see it as a tangible sign that their suffering has not been forgotten. “We lost entire families to the gas,” said one resident who preferred to remain anonymous. “Now our children study under electric light, and we can store our produce all year round. This is justice in the form of sunlight.”
While human rights groups have been urging for greater international support for Anfal survivors, the Sheikh Wasan project, funded entirely through private Kurdish philanthropy, is a shining example of how local initiatives can fill the gap left by the lack of support from Baghdad and the international community.
