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International audience On March 13th–14th 2015, Cyclone Pam swept through the archipelago of Vanuatu with wind speeds exceeding those recorded anywhere in the South Pacific region since the 1980s. The Southern and central parts of the country were particularly affected. On Tongoa, one of the most afflicted islands, material damages were extensive though no death was reported. During the storm, villagers found shelter in their kitchen, which they locally considered as “lifeboats”. The aftermath of the catastrophe was managed and mitigated by international aid organizations. On Tongoa this included a “shelter cluster” program whereby villagers were given house rebuilding kits. Elaborating upon extensive ethnographic investigations on site conducted between 2011 and 2018, this article explores and reveals the ways in which this aid generated confusion among the local population. In a larger context of regular catastrophes triggered by natural hazards, locals have found endogenous ways of dealing with such extreme climatic events, for the largest part without any external aid – which uncovers the dynamics of humanitarian aid.