FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Twenty-two Micronesian men and women earned certificates as caregivers last night for completing the Home Helper Training Program at St. Francis Medical Center. Clockwise from top left, Susan Andrew, Charlean Allen, Marlyn Santos, Sintra Lorrin, Lisa Pabro, Merko Route and Aimina Sahle were among the students honored.

22 finish new-caregiver training

The innovative course helps
Pacific islanders leave low-level jobs

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By Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.com

Twenty-two Micronesian men and women, recruited primarily from public housing, hope to get caregivers' jobs as the first graduates of a "home helper" class at St. Francis Medical Center.

"This is a real opportunity because most of them end up in fast-food places for minimum wages," said Julia Estrella, of Micronesians United. She obtained funding and coordinated the program.

Wearing colorful, traditional uniforms, the class of 20 women and two men received certificates of completion in ceremonies last night in St. Francis' Weinberg Outpatient Building.

Estrella said the trainees live mostly in Kuhio Park Terrace, Palolo Valley and Mayor Wright Homes and are poor.

Before they could enroll in the program, they had to have criminal and health clearances, she said. They had to understand enough English to take training and agree to attend every class and be on time, she said.

There is already a waiting list for the next class, she said. "We had so many people apply, and they got turned down. It was the first 22 who showed up. We had people waiting in the aisles, disappointed."

They had classes every night for two weeks, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation and Red Cross training, and shadowed caregivers and St. Francis Hospice workers for two months. The program director was Gail Okamura, manager of education, St. Francis Medical Center.

"They basically can go into any situation in the home where there is a need for a caregiver, where a person is either disabled or elderly and needs help with showering, bathing or eating," Estrella said.

Each person signed an agreement to contribute 10 percent of their income when they get a job to repay the $250 cost of tuition, she said.

"It's not a charity thing. We'll train 22 more people. We're hoping this is the beginning of something big," she said. "We want to keep graduating more Micronesians. They're tired of minimum-wage jobs. They want jobs that will pay at least $10 an hour, what caregivers get."

The group plans to meet every week until everyone gets a job, she said.

The United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Division, based in Cleveland, funded the first training course with St. Francis, she said.

"The need is so great in Hawaii," she said, noting her husband was disabled and agencies quoted her $20 an hour for a caregiver. "If anyone has need for a caregiver, 22 people are looking for jobs. We'll put them to work right away."