Save the Rioni Valley

We are fundraising to support the fight against the Namakhvani dams in West Georgia. If built, the planned dams will displace families, increase the risk of landslides and earthquakes and disrupt the sustainable local economy of the Rioni valley. 

We are part of a growing movement uniting local inhabitants with environmental campaigners, scientists, activists and an unprecedented number of people across Georgia and internationally to oppose this terrible development. For too long, large projects have been built across Georgia disregarding their impact on local populations and their environments, this is the time to demand fair, sustainable and inclusive infrastructural development and this campaign is the first step towards this goal! 


The movement has grown above the expectation of many but the fight is strenuous and exhausting. For over 130 days, local activists of all ages have been camping outside the dam's building site.  More people are urgently needed to support the campaign and relieve those who have devoted their past months to save such a fragile ecosystem.

Any contributions will help us organise support for the local protestors.

The money will be spent for:

·  Transportation costs, fuel

·  Firewood

·  Food

·  Personal protective equipment: masks, shields, sanitiser

·  Tents, thermoses, warm gloves, blankets

·  Waterproof clothes for the rain

Thanks to the sheer number of people protesting for the first time victory is in sight! Any donation we receive is critical at this stage.

Up until now the campaign has utilised all available means of peaceful protest, asked for parliamentary hearings and appealed to the court, yet this struggle has for long been ignored by the government, while court hearings have not yet been scheduled.  The project has been systematically scrutinised by researchers and environmental organisations to reveal major environmental risks, as well as economic unsoundness of the project.

Our victory will not just prevent a disaster now but will place the needs of people and ecosystems at the core of infrastructural planning for the decades to come.

This is an essential struggle and these donations will make all the difference. 

Thank you!


More info on the Namakhvani HPP 

There is no proper environmental assessment for the project

• The dams are impacting one of the most delicate seismic areas in the world. In case of an earthquake, the city of Kutaisi with more than 500,000 could be destroyed.

• Landslides are a regular occurrence in the Valley. Construction works may increase the likelihood of landslides and erosions.

• The dams will impact the valley's unique microclimate, affecting its humidity levels.

• The project threatens the cultivation of the unique grape varieties Tvishi and Tsolikauri.

• Even the economic rationality of the project is questionable. Available studies show that in case the Namakhvani HPP is built, the Georgian state will face huge fiscal burdens while the electricity prices for the local population are unlikely to diminish.

• The project violates basic principles of EU Energy community, such as transparency, ensuring public participation in decision making, and can distort the energy market.