The Rwanga Foundation has officially launched Kulak Solar Village, the first fully off-grid, solar-powered community in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, marking a major step forward in the country’s renewable energy and climate resilience efforts.

Inaugurated on Tuesday, the project combines clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and climate adaptation strategies to offer a replicable model of green development amid Iraq’s deepening environmental crisis.

“This project proves that we can protect our environment, empower our people, and build a future rooted in resilience, dignity, and hope,” said Idris Nechirvan Barzani, Founder and President of the Rwanga Foundation.

“Our vision is to see this model grow across Iraq—one village at a time—until sustainability becomes the standard, not the exception.”

Innovation Amid Crisis

The Kulak Solar Village is powered entirely by solar energy and provides uninterrupted, 24/7 electricity to residents. Future plans include solar-powered irrigation systems and training programs in regenerative agriculture, intended to enhance food security and ecological restoration.

Launched in response to Iraq’s escalating environmental challenges—such as extreme heatwaves, water scarcity, and desertification—the project also aligns with the United Nations’ climate change warnings, which rank Iraq as the fifth most vulnerable country globally to climate-related threats.

A Scalable Vision for Green Iraq

The Rwanga Foundation views the project as a cornerstone of its Green Kurdistan campaign and a scalable model for both Kurdistan and central Iraq. Plans are underway to expand similar solar communities across the country by 2030, in partnership with regional governments and international organizations.

The initiative builds on more than five years of Rwanga’s environmental efforts, including the planting of over 200,000 trees and widespread educational and youth empowerment campaigns.

About Rwanga Foundation

The Rwanga Foundation is a leading non-profit dedicated to advancing sustainable development, education, and climate action in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq at large.