Dongjak-gu Supports Low-Income Female Adolescents with Health and Hygiene Supplies

Applications accepted until December... Provided as vouchers worth 11,500 KRW per month, up to 138,000 KRW annually... After applying, receive the National Happiness Card and use it at designated online and offline merchants by card company

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) will support vouchers for health and hygiene products (sanitary pads) to promote the healthy growth of low-income female adolescents until December.

Since 2016, this project has been implemented through in-kind support, but from 2019, the support method was changed to purchase vouchers to enhance convenience for adolescents.

The target group includes about 500 female adolescents aged 11 to 18 (born between 2003.1.1 and 2010.12.31) who are ▲ recipients of livelihood, medical, housing, or education benefits ▲ legally designated lower-income class ▲ eligible under the Single-Parent Family Support Act, among others.

Especially this year, the monthly amount has increased by 500 KRW from last year to 11,500 KRW per month, with a maximum annual amount of 138,000 KRW, paid in two installments for the first and second half of the year, and can be used until the end of the year.

The application period is from this month until December 17, and if there is no change in eligibility after applying, support can continue without reapplication until the year the applicant turns 18.

Applicants or their guardians can apply at the resident center of their registered address by bringing identification, and applications are also possible through the ‘Bokjiro’ website and application.

Once the application is completed, the card company issues a National Happiness Card, which can be used to purchase health and hygiene products at designated online and offline affiliated stores by each card company.

Last year, the district supported about 57.9 million KRW to enable 497 female adolescents to purchase health and hygiene products.

For more details, inquiries can be made to the Child and Adolescent Division.

Park Joo-il, head of the Child and Adolescent Division, said, “Through this project, we hope to protect the health of low-income female adolescents and foster social consensus on guaranteeing adolescent health rights,” adding, “We will continue to promote various projects to improve the welfare of adolescents.”