Recovery from a natural disaster is tough but is made easier with the help of friends and neighbours. I witnessed both when I visited the Old Harbour area in Vava’u, a remote island chain in the Kingdom of Tonga, after Cyclone Winston slammed into Fiji and Tonga a little over two weeks ago. I met local taxi driver Aki Taufoa’u and his family of seven living among the rubble of what was once his home with what is left of their personal belongings. Aki and his family lost virtually everything they owned when the storm literally blew away their home.

Aware the storm was on its way, Aki and his family had grabbed what few possessions they could from the house and managed to find shelter on the other side of the island just hours before the cyclone hit. He says he can still remember the roaring sound of the winds and the driving rain that swept away their home and most of its contents in seconds. — blogs.adb.org/blog