She joins hundreds of others on Guam who may not receive the lion’s share of public recognition for their life-saving role in the fight against Covid-19, but they are actively working and sacrificing just the same to stop the virus from spreading further.
“It’s really rewarding knowing that I can do my part and help out fighting the virus and containing it,” Duenas said.
Her optimism, patience and perseverance, even after months of frantic job searching, landed her an essential front-line job in the midst of a pandemic.
“I was feeling a bit anxious but at the same time optimistic in finding another job,” she said after losing her part-time job at a Gap apparel store in February when sales began to dip. “I started looking for work as soon as possible.”
But because there were some 30,000 others also displaced by Covid-19, it wasn’t until seven months later when Duenas got the break she was waiting for.
She responded to online ads and social media posts about the Guam Department of Labor’s Dislocated Worker Program looking for people who want to do maintenance and housekeeping duties as part of efforts to fight Covid-19.
“At first I was a bit concerned knowing I would be working at the hospital but once I was taught and still continuing to learn what I need to do to be safe, it gave me confidence and now I like doing what I do,” Duenas, now a GMH human environmental service technician, said.
Her responsibilities include ensuring cleanliness and decontamination of GMH rooms that were previously occupied by Covid-19 patients.
It’s a six-month temporary job, but it can be extended once Labor’s application for additional federal grants is approved. The program, which helps people learn new skills, can also lead to permanent employment.
She’s grateful for the opportunity to have a job once again, and hopes that others will remain optimistic about their job search.
“Keep your head up and never give up,” she said. “Times are hard, everyone is looking for money nowadays but also everyone needs to do their part in containing the virus so we could get back to normal.”
Prior to the pandemic, she was juggling school and work at The Gap.
Unemployment during the pandemic allowed her to focus more on her schoolwork but she said she didn’t stop searching for a job.
She was studying to be a veterinarian technician at an online school called Penn Foster but she’s currently taking a break.
“My parents helped me through unemployment but I really wanted to get a job so I didn’t have to keep on depending on them. I actually really thought about doing health care when I started but right now I really like what I do to help stop the spread,” she said.
The federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance that eligible displaced workers have been receiving, ends after 39 weeks. Unemployment relief funds will expire at the end of December.
