Erbil – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has launched the “Gashanawa” project to boost entrepreneurship and empower small business owners across the Region. The initiative offers financial support through small loans, giving young entrepreneurs the opportunity to expand their businesses and create new jobs.
Through this program, the KRG has already helped a local oil factory and 24 other businesses strengthen production and hire more workers. Officials said the project encourages self-reliance, innovation, and long-term economic sustainability by supporting locally owned ventures.
The project’s name, “Gashanawa,” meaning “revival” in Kurdish, reflects its goal of sparking economic renewal. It forms part of the Ninth Cabinet’s broader economic diversification strategy, which focuses on empowering youth and reducing dependence on public sector employment.
KRG representatives stressed that supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remains crucial to the Region’s future. They added that new programs like “Gashanawa” will help develop a competitive market economy and strengthen community-based industries.
Entrepreneurs who received the loans described the project as a “lifeline,” saying it allowed them to buy equipment, expand facilities, and employ local residents.
As Kurdistan continues to prioritize private-sector development, “Gashanawa” stands as a model for how innovation and local empowerment can drive regional progress.