By Emelia B. Addae
Koforidua, March. 03, GNA – Two students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have designed a project called “Birim livelihood enhancement,” to provide alternative livelihood for vulnerable women of Larbikrom in the Birim Central Municipality.
The two students, Mr Francis Yao Amedzrator and Mr David Ampem Oppong both study Masters of Science (MSc) in Development Management under the Institute of Distance Learning (IDL) at KNUST.
Mr Amedzrator in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said the project aimed to equip vulnerable women of Larbikrom, a rural community with skills in local soap making. “Agriculture is the main livelihood venture providing employment for inhabitants of Larbikrom and during the off-season of agricultural activities, people of the community experience reduced levels of income with its accompanying economic hardships,” he said.
“Women of the community are most adversely affected by such phenomenon.”
Mr Amedzrator and Mr Oppong have therefore developed the Birim livelihood enhancement project which has trained 20 vulnerable women of Larbikrom on how to make local soap, particularly “Azuma blows.”
The project served as an alternative livelihood during the off-season of agricultural activities and its sustainability was linked to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 8, which ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all and also ensure decent work for all.
Mr Amedzrator said the “Azuma blows “will help fight infections and reduce incidence of poverty among vulnerable women as they will sell some to get profit.
GNA