Khorsid is the Iranian name for sun, the creator of all new life, energetic, warm and brightly shining over the whole world.
We choose a “deprived village” and with the help of volunteers and its people we recreate that village. Raising the life quality for its residents and change the deprived village into a prosperous, future-ready community where local people can find work, generate a healthy income and raise their family, through unique activities which are all related to nature protection and education.
HISTORY
Bourzakan or Burzakan is a village in Meymand District, Firuzabad County, Fars Province, Iran.
It is a poor village with very kind people from the Qashqai tribe trying to build an existence. They were nomadic people with a very strong history and culture, their activities were farming and animal husbandry for the last couple decades. But their situation drastically changed…
Through one of the nowadays most critical environmental cause, namely drought… Their economy became very weak, and immigration happened. People of the strongest tribe of Fars province with honorable tradition and culture are now looking for work in the bigger cities of Iran. Younger generation do not like to stay there because there is no work for them to help them start a family.
However, we see the potential of this village and we see a future…
In november 2018, the village was visited by NGO Simba with presence of Marjan van der Schaaf and a team of researchers: Luc Haagh, Mees Dekkers and Grytsje de Boer. The potential of this village was seen with their own eyes and the ideas for the future became to form: The case of Bourzakan.
MISSION
When protecting the nature around inhabited places, the cooperation of the local people is needed to reach the goal. In Bourzakan, this will be done by supplying the needs of the village through a long-term collaboration while keeping the protection of nature in mind. By starting work together, the villagers can be educated on the importance of the balance they should maintain between themselves and their surrounding nature.
The case of Bourzakan is devoted to support the villagers in their interest and willingness for change. Cooperation with the local community is the key to integrate and implement change. We commit to reaching out to them to answer their needs and to show the potential of doing so in an environmental manner. It is crucial that we offer human capital to the villagers in which they become active participants of the development. Not only to be prepared to be self sufficient in the future, but also to be committed to improving their quality of life while preserving Iranian nature. We, herewith, open the window of opportunity to provide an example and a vision to other villages in Iran for a change for the better.
VISION
The purpose of the Khorsid Project is to be a sample for other villages in Iran in providing a local community with simple instructions and easy education to integrate a long lasting change toward environmental improvements while adding to their quality of life.
VALUES
Green innovation
One of the priorities will be to introduce the latest water technology, renewable energy and smart building into the designs. Water, electricity etc. is supplied completely by renewable energy sources such as air to water technology, solar technology and wind energy. Thereby, increasing the quality of water and creating a more effective use of the water with the integration of engineering designs. Moreover, constructing an improved sewage system without disrupting the traditional character of the village.
Economy
It is vital to improve the economic situation of the village to generate more interest and commitment by the local community to continue the progress and to further development. Thereby, we aim to increase the income of the village and its inhabitants by their livelihood and to increase the number of visitors that pass through the village.
Sustainable farming
We will teach residents how to farm in a sustainable way, to grow healthy food crops by modern water technologies and to take care of animals in an animal friendly way.
Environment
Poverty is not all about money, it is also about lack of knowledge. Rural people are the closest people to nature, therefore they can be nature’s defenders or they can ruin it. We will teach them how to become one with the nature, and in return how nature can bring happiness and joy to them.