The Technology Consultancy Center International Centre for Innovation, Manufacturing, Technology Transfer, and Entrepreneurship (TCC-CIMET) located at the KNUST has trained 40 members of the Wiamoase community in soap making.
The training was organized as part of the World Engineering Day celebrations to equip participants with the skills to produce both bar and liquid soaps. The training session aligns with TCC-CIMET’s commitment to empowering local communities through skills development, technology transfer, and sustainable economic initiatives.
Mr Kenneth Donkor, a Research Fellow at TCC, speaking at the training at Wiamoase in the Sekyere South District of Ashanti, emphasized that the initiative aimed to provide community members with additional sources of income alongside their primary occupation as farmers.
“We recognize Wiamoase as a farming community, and while you may have expected training related to agriculture, we assure you that such programmes are in our plans. Today, however, our goal is to equip you with soap-making skills, which can serve as a supplementary business,” he observed.
Mr Donkor believed this could help community members to generate income while waiting for the main planting seasons. He said the TCC-CIMET would in future training programmes organize sessions on biochar production, an innovative method of producing eco- friendly charcoal.
The Research Fellow used the opportunity to show samples of charcoal produced from the process for the training participants to have a fair knowledge.
Mrs. Agnes Oppong, also a Research Fellow to TCC, supervised the training and urged participants to prioritise safety when practicing soap making at home by using protective gear and working in well-ventilated areas.
These, she noted, were highly required as some of the chemicals involved in soap making required careful handling. Some community members expressed their appreciation for the training, highlighting its impact on their livelihoods.
The KNUST TCC-CIMET is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Category II Centre of Excellence.
It conducts engineering research, specializes in advanced manufacturing, transfers technology, trains entrepreneurs, and supports small and medium-scale industries in Ghana.
Source: GNA
