My roots in Bamernê
My name is Nechirvan Bamerny. Nechirvan means ‘hunter’. I was born on 16 May 1973 in Bamernê, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. I am the third son of Said and Fatima, and one of twelve children. My surname carries the name of my birthplace. My family was forced to leave Bamernê, and carrying its name has always been a way for me to keep that connection alive.
My book, Verdreven
In Verdreven, I tell the story of my family and my own life. I write about growing up during war, being forced to flee, living in a refugee camp in Turkey and building a new life in the Netherlands. The book begins before my birth, with stories passed down through generations in my family and the wider Kurdish community.
I wrote the book to share what it feels like to leave everything familiar behind and begin again. It is also a story about love, trust and the courage it takes to rebuild a life. I hope it brings readers closer to the experiences of people who have had to flee their homes.
My work on climate change and water in Kurdistan
My connection to Bamernê is also part of the work I do today. Through my company, MesoNature B.V., and through pilot projects I have personally funded, I have explored how young trees can be established in places where water is scarce and difficult to transport.
In December 2022, I spoke to students, lecturers and the director at Salahaddin University in Erbil. I talked about water shortages in Iraq, the pressure drought puts on farming and the villages people have had to leave. I also asked what the next ten years could look like and demonstrated how the Groasis Waterboxx can be used when planting young trees.
In February 2025, I planted 700 young trees in the mountains near Bamernê, including 200 with Waterboxx. At this site, the Waterboxx units needed refilling about once a month. When I returned to count the trees in July 2026, about 90% of those planted with Waterboxx were still alive, compared with about 50% of those planted without it. Those figures come from my count at this one site.
For me, this work is a practical way to contribute to the place where I grew up. On Local Projects, I share what we did in the field. On Events & Media, I share presentations and demonstrations about water, drought and restoring vegetation.