Purushottam Subedi
West Nawalparasi, October 16:
The Armed Police Force (APF), dedicated round-the-clock to border security, has recently begun fostering a different kind of relationship with the residents of border settlements. Moving beyond traditional border guarding and security checks, the APF is taking the lead in directly linking border area youth with practical skills to make them self-reliant.
In line with this, the Armed Police Force Nepal No. 26 Battalion Headquarter in West Nawalparasi, in collaboration with Palhinandan Rural Municipality, is conducting a barber (haircutting) training program for youth in border villages. Operated under the “APF with Border Residents” initiative, the training includes the participation of 15 local youth from wards bordering the frontier.
According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Govinda Bahadur Khati of Armed Police Force Nepal No. 26 Battalion, the police, who were previously seen only during border security patrols, have now become partners in endowing village youth with professional skills. Participants in the training are being skilled through basic theoretical knowledge as well as practical exercises in haircutting. It is believed that upon completing the training held within the APF battalion premises, participants will start their own businesses in their localities, becoming self-employed and creating income-generating opportunities at the local level.
This initiative has proven highly effective in reducing the distance between uniformed personnel and ordinary citizens while strengthening mutual trust, harmony, and cooperation. Security agencies have observed that when border youth become economically empowered and self-reliant, their sense of ownership and participation in border security naturally increases.
Prioritizing social responsibility, the Armed Police Force stated that it will continue such public-centric programs focused on the welfare, skill development, and awareness of border youth in the coming days. Going beyond weapons and security perimeters to guide youth toward self-reliance, such initiatives demonstrate a new potential for positive social transformation in border settlements.
(Photo: Participation of local youth in the training.)
