Rwanga Foundation launches Iraq’s first off-grid solar village in Erbil

ERBIL — The Rwanga Foundation has launched the Kulak Solar Village project in southeast Erbil, described as Iraq’s first fully sustainable, off-grid, solar-powered community, according to a statement from the organization.

The initiative, designed to address Iraq’s mounting energy and climate challenges, will accommodate 32 homes and nearly 200 residents. It is part of a broader strategy to promote climate resilience, energy independence, and food security in rural areas affected by rising temperatures and desertification.

The village will operate entirely on renewable energy and feature solar-powered irrigation systems alongside training programs in regenerative agriculture.

Idris Nechirvan Barzani, founder and president of the Rwanga Foundation, called the project “a bold vision for a different future.”

“This is more than a village — it’s the foundation of a green revolution,” he said.

Foundation Director Hassan Aladdin emphasized the project’s focus on community self-reliance.

“This village empowers communities to take control of their energy, food, and livelihoods,” he said.

The solar village is part of the foundation’s Green Kurdistan campaign, which has planted more than 200,000 trees since 2020, including 20,000 olive trees in the Kasnazane area. It also supports the foundation’s Empowering Sustainable Livelihoods initiative, which equips farmers with tools and agricultural training.

The pilot village is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2025. Plans are in place to replicate the model across Kurdistan and central Iraq by 2030 in coordination with regional authorities and international partners.

Founded in 2013, the Erbil-based Rwanga Foundation operates in four key sectors: education, youth, environment, and vulnerable groups.

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