Rwanga Foundation Brings Solar Power to Village Targeted in 1987 Chemical Attack
Erbil, Kurdistan Region – On Wednesday, November 26th, 2025, the Rwanga Foundation announced the completion of a solar power project in Sheikh Wasan village, a community that was targeted in a 1987 chemical attack by Iraqi forces. The project, funded by the foundation’s founder Idris Nechirvan Barzani, has brought clean, off-grid solar energy to the village’s 281 residents.
The attack, recognized as the first chemical attack against Kurdish civilians, left 211 people dead, mostly women, children, and elderly. Survivors were separated from their families and many children died in detention camps. Now, 38 years later, the same streets that were once the site of tragedy are lit with reliable 24-hour electricity.
Idris Nechirvan Barzani, a young Kurdish businessman and philanthropist, has become one of the leading advocates for renewable energy in post-conflict communities. The project in Sheikh Wasan is just one of many initiatives by Rwanga Foundation to promote sustainable development in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
Barzani 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 solar project, which consists of 72 solar systems and 432 high-efficiency panels, powers every home in the village as well as the mosque, school, health center, and Martyrs’ Hall. This has not only provided reliable electricity for daily needs but has also created local jobs in installation, maintenance, and small-scale agriculture.
For the village’s survivors and their descendants, the solar panels serve as a tangible sign that their suffering has not been forgotten. “We lost entire families to the gas,” said one resident who wished 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.”
The project, which was entirely funded by private Kurdish philanthropy, also highlights the gap that has been left by the lack of support from Baghdad and the international community. Human rights groups have long called for greater assistance for Anfal survivors, and the success of this project showcases the impact of local initiative and philanthropy.
This transformation of Sheikh Wasan village serves as a beacon of hope for other neglected rural communities, showing that with determination and support, sustainable development can be achieved. The Rwanga Foundation and Idris Nechirvan Barzani have set an example for others to follow in the effort to bring justice and restitution to those affected by conflict.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.