Like many other areas in the country, the unemployment situation in Dzodze is reaching an alarming rate with most people especially the youth being forced into menial jobs for survival.

It is common to see young men most of whom have completed Junior High School or Senior High School, engaged in commercial motorbike business also known as ‘opkada’, although that activity is illegal.

The young ladies on the other hand engage in cross-border petty trading.

Beyond the economic challenges, the situation breeds a myriad of social vices in the town which has been a concern to many.

As part of efforts to alleviate poverty in the area, the Queen of Dzodze-Apetepe, Mama Agbaledzokpui II, instituted a charity organization, Mama Agbaledzopui Foundation to economically empower the youth and women.

Over the weekend, the Queen brought resource persons to the town to train about 100 women and girls in liquid soap making.

The women were trained on how to produce the different types of liquid soaps and disinfectants. This sought to provide them with skilled jobs which will ostensibly be a source of income for them.

Mama disclosed that her Foundation has begun works for the construction of a vocational centre to train and provide jobs for the community.

To sustain the project, participants of such training would be coached on how to set up their businesses with some to be employed at the centre.

“This is one of the roles I can play as a Queen to support my people. The women you saw today, would soon set up their own businesses and I would also employ some to work at the vocational centre. We would be training them in other skills such as solid soap making, beads making, tailoring among others” she said.

She believed vocational training is critical in tackling poverty in rural Ghana, which is why she is soliciting support from well-wishers and corporate institutions to help realise her goals.

Mama Agbaledzokpui II in a chat with citinewsroom.com, said she is being involved in other social interventions including making donations to children on admission at St. Anthony's Hospital, organizing funfair for less privileged children in the town, as well supporting persons living with disabilities.

Some of the beneficiaries in an interview with citinewroom.com were happy to have been trained in the production of the liquid soaps, and are hopeful to set up cottage industries.