Five days after Cyclone Gita and authorities are still struggling to get supplies to those who most need it.
A convoy of eight trucks manned with Emergency Management personnel, military, National Youth Congress members and Caritas aid agency staff wove its way to the north-eastern districts of Tongatapu on Friday.
Half of the villages that needed assistance were still waiting, and Emergency Management Office Director Leveni 'Aho had already expressed concern about the speed of the distribution.
But transparency trumps speed in the process at the moment.
Mr 'Aho said it was important that people trusted the way aid was handed out so authorities could not be accused of favouritism.
So aid is being handled twice, Emergency Management units drop supplies to each town officer who is seen as the appropriate person to distribute to those in need.
On this trip the first stop is a church in Alakifonua, about 30 minutes drive from the capital of Nuku'alofa.
Tarpaulins, tents, hygiene kits and generators are dropped off.
The town officer has a list of people who have been assessed by his team who are in need of the supplies.
Lava Enosi said the aid was for those people and not everybody.
Mr Enosi said while officials sought to meet people's need, it was also important for Tongans to stand up and not wait for aid.
He said replanting is something that needed to be carried out in order for villages to recover.
Officials hoped to reach the remaining 13 villages that needed help by the weekend.
A few kilometres up the road from the drop off point in Talasiu is a family who have no roof on their house and were still waiting for help.
Kaloti Leau said something to keep his family dry is a must.
"What we need is clothes to wear and stuff to sleep on. All the stuff in the house is already damaged.
That's all we need clothes and something to sleep on," he said.
Mr Leau said water and soap and something to fight mosquitoes would also be handy.
Further up the road in Talafo'ou are Lose and Timani Kata who have lost everything.
They have seen aid but only in the form of building tools and cooking utensils.
"There are many things we need," Mrs Kata said.
"Food, kids clothing and especially our house."
Back in town the clothing store Asena Tonga managed was closed for business
All her stock was lost, damaged from the storm and her roof is off.
Asena is relying on what she calls 'ofa or love of her family and friends to get the shop back on its feet.
They're selling crops to contribute to the repairs and also volunteering their time to help.
So while official assistance had been slow, people across Tongatapu and 'Eua have banded together to help each other and complaints are few and far between.