New Zealand is funding a rehabilitation centre in Tonga for criminals it deports there.
The move comes after Tonga criticised New Zealand and Australia over their controversial deportations of Tongan convicts, many of whom have spent little time in the Kingdom.
New Zealand's just approved 28,000 Tongan pa'anga, or around $17,000 Australian dollars, which will go towards funding a new centre run by Tonga's Dare to Dream Foundation, which has been providing support for people deported to the Kingdom for years.
The foundation's chair, 'Uhila-moe-Langi Fasi, said it was good news for deportees struggling in Tonga.
"One of the major problems of the deportees here is that they have no family and they are just homeless, not cared for. We wanted to provide a place that they can call home, and hopefully, we can change them to become good citizens," Dr Fasi said.
Dr Fasi said more money would be needed but they can start clearing land for the project with the initial funds from New Zealand.
The centre would provide cultural and language skills.
The funding comes as Tonga's government battles a drug crisis that border closures have done little to hamper.
Tonga's Speaker in July sought to introduce the death penalty to deal with the crisis but MPs voted instead to sentence the worst offenders to life imprisonment.
Henrietta McNeill, who researches criminal deportations to the Pacific at the Australian National University, said the rehabilitation centre was a positive move but believes accommodation and cultural skills will need to be complemented by mental health, drug and alcohol treatment.
She added that Australia and New Zealand needed to provide more support for people serving jail sentences before they are deported to the Pacific.
"There are opportunities to do at the very minimum things like language classes, so it isn't quite as tough as it would otherwise be on arrival."
Tonga's Justice Minister, Samiu Vaipulu, told the ABC earlier this month that he had held talks with Australia and New Zealand on the issue of deportations.
He described their response to a request to rehabilitate people before they are deported to Tonga as "promising".
However, following questions by the ABC on whether any policy changes were being considered, both New Zealand's Foreign Ministry and Australia's Border Force said they already offer support to any drug offenders being detained in their countries.
Photo Dare to Dream Foundation Incorp/Facebook Caption: Some of the founders of the Dare to Dream Foundation Incorp - (From Left to Right) Latu Liava'a - President, Osaiasi Vivili Moala and Muli ki Fai'ana Vehikite - Vice President