Haenam-gun Promotes 'Welfare 1-Chon Project' for Single-Person Households Needing Care

Risks of Reclusive Loners and Solitary Deaths, Delivery of Side Dishes and Checking on Well-being

Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, will launch the ‘One-Person Household Welfare 1-Chon Connection’ project next month, providing side dishes and checking in on reclusive young and middle-aged adults in need of care and households at risk of lonely deaths.

According to the county on the 28th, this project will be carried out by volunteers living in towns and townships who will prepare and deliver side dishes directly and check on the recipients’ well-being. The project targets 28 people across 14 towns and townships, with the county supporting the cost of side dish ingredients.

In particular, this project has attracted attention as it aims to build relationships through regular visits to reclusive individuals and households at risk of lonely deaths, which have become serious issues even in rural areas.

Haenam-gun Office Building Exterior View

The county has been actively implementing customized case management this year to support the social reintegration and safety management of reclusive individuals and households at risk of lonely deaths. Since the end of last year, reclusive crisis households have been identified, and professional integrated case managers have been assigned to connect with these households one-on-one, starting with regular visits and communication at least twice a month. They are actively supporting programs tailored to the characteristics of each stage and type of reclusion.

The project is also drawing attention as a way for local volunteers to cooperate by regularly visiting the recipients and building relationships, enabling the community to solve welfare issues through the efforts of its residents.

Volunteers expressed their thoughts on participation, saying, “Although we are busy with the farming season and our livelihoods, gathering as group members to prepare side dishes helps strengthen our friendship and provides an opportunity to share the difficulties of our neighbors.”

The organizations participating in the One-Person Household Welfare 1-Chon Connection project include the Saemaeul Women’s Association, Red Cross Volunteer Society, Haenam Branch of the Consumer Education Central Association, Siloam Volunteer Society, Masan Community Security Council, Women’s Crime Prevention Unit, and Bukil Central Church. They will conduct weekly side dish preparation and welfare check-in volunteer activities until the end of this year.

A county official said, “We are grateful to the volunteers who have joined us with love for the community and a spirit of service,” adding, “The county will also strive to build a more comprehensive welfare safety net.”

The county plans to continue efforts to identify reclusive crisis households, which can occur at any time, and to provide customized case management immediately upon discovery. They urge anyone who finds individuals in need of help nearby to contact the County Welfare Policy Division’s Hope Welfare Team.