While most New Zealanders have already forgotten about Cyclone Pam, Taurnaga's Courtney Tilby knows that the people of Vanuatu have a long road to recovery ahead.

The ex-Bethlehem College student was working as a volunteer teacher on the island of Pentecost when the category 5 storm hit Vanuatu.

Tauranga's Courtney Tilby with school students.

What remains of a classroom.

She knows first-hand what it means for the Ni-Vanuatu communities.

'Unfortunately most kiwis think that the cyclone came, aid arrived, end of story, but that's simply not the case,” says Courtney.

'Every village I know has lost their crops, and most have also lost their water supply. It will be 4-5 months before the first of their replanted crops produce and at least 2 years before they are properly replenished. In the meantime, people need to eat, not to mention rebuild their homes and schools. It's going to be a long process.”

According to Courtney, international aid agencies are doing a good job at distributing emergency supplies but the scale of the disaster is far bigger than a handful of organisations can deal with.

Ni-Vanuatu communities are relying on friends and family from outside of Vanuatu to organise and deliver aid directly to their villages.

'It's one thing for a community to get their initial supply of aid, but what about next week or next month, or the month after that?” says the volunteer teacher.

'Rebuilding costs money, particularly in the urban communities, and if you're only earning NZ$50 per week, it's going to take a long time to get walls and a roof back on your house. People can't live under a tarpaulin forever.”

The volunteer teacher returned home to New Zealand this week, but will be restarting her teaching position in Pentecost in July.

Determined to remind New Zealander's that the crisis isn't over, she has set up a Givealittle page to raise money for three small communities that are falling through the gaps of international aid.

She is also organising a container of relief to be sent to Vanuatu at the end of this month.

'We are working closely with a local Ni-Vanuatu family to ensure we send items that are genuinely useful and that the aid is distributed effectively. It's not just about immediate relief, it's about long-term requirements as well,” says Courtney.

The wish-list of items required includes rice, flour, oil, canned meat, building and gardening tools, sandals and jandals, solar or wind up torches and lamps, basic first aid supplies, pots, pans and camping kettles, as well as school supplies and teaching resources.

Items can be dropped off to the Exult offices at 26 Botanical Road, between 9am – 4pm on April 11 and 12.