Mahalo Amenina Opet!

“She is pure sunshine to be around. She is always smiling, positive, warm, and kind.” That’s how many people who have worked with KKV Outreach Worker Amenina Opet would describe her. In October, she decided to transition away from KKV to focus on her education and earn a bachelor's degree in social work. The KKV ʻohana is sad to see her go but is so grateful to have had an amazing colleague like Amenina for the past 12 years.   

When Amenina first came to KKV in 2011, she wore many hats right away. She was an outreach worker at the KKV clinic at Kuhio Park Terrace (KPT), the state’s largest public housing development. She provided assistance with job applications and connected patients with a wide range of services including medical, dental, and behavioral health care. She also helped with eligibility and enrollment assistance for public benefits. Aside from case management, she also lent her skills as a Chuukese interpreter. She even oversaw the Seams Wonderful sewing program at KPT. Amenina had a deep love for her community and her culture. She juggled case management and Seams Wonderful simultaneously for a few years, but eventually decided to focus on her outreach work while going back to school to earn a degree.   

When asked about what it was like to work with Amenina, the first thing that came to her teammates' minds was her heart. “She really went above and beyond to help patients in other ways outside of her job description,” said Physician Dr. Melissa McKinney. Amenina was known to always put her clients first, no matter what they needed. She was the true definition of a team player. Public Housing Coordinator Pearl Sheck, who worked closely with Amenina, shared a story that perfectly describes the kind of person she is. “I was still new to my position, and one day I was so busy helping patients and clients with the rental assistance program that I had about 4 clients coming to see me all at once. When Amenina came into the office, she immediately started helping the waiting clients which took a huge weight off my shoulders.” Amenina was always willing to lend a helping hand wherever it was needed, no matter what she had going on. She embodied the mission of KKV: “working to advance health, inspire healing, foster reconciliation, and to celebrate abundance in Kalihi through strong relationships that honor culture and place.” 

Amenina also created deep connections with those she met through her outreach work. Many Chuukese community members trusted her and felt comfortable going to her when they needed help. “The work she did, and her personality brought patients to KKV,” said Pearl. “She knew when to step in and help struggling families who never asked for assistance. To this day, her clients still come to me asking when she will be coming back. She is so loved by the community.” Most times, Amenina was also the only Chuukese interpreter at the KPT clinic on a daily basis. She always made sure to accompany patients to their appointments, whether it was medical or for something else like housing. She was also very proud of her culture and loved to share it with everyone she met. “When one of my close Chuukese patients passed away unexpectedly, Amenina was kind enough to accompany me to the funeral and helped me to understand the Micronesian customs which were unfamiliar to me at the time,” explained Dr. McKinney. “She always helped out in any way she could.”   

The KKV ʻohana would like to send a warm aloha and mahalo to Amenina for all she has done for Kalihi! We wish her the best of luck in everything she does.