In my novel Once Were Warriors I had a main character Beth Heke have a sudden realisation:

"Bookless.  Bookless.  We're a bookless society."

And she began to think that it was because a bookless society didn't stand a chance in this world, not a show.

"And I live in it, don't I? And my kids."
 

I knew from growing up that hardly any Maori homes had books, nor the homes of low income white people.  So I decided to do something about it.  We set up a TEAM.  The rest speaks for itself.

My role now is trustee, a happy member of the team with the sole aim of improving literacy of low-income children.

Results by Government researchers showed a 35% improvement in reading and writing skills.  Over a decade after we began we are seeing more and more Duffy children going on to tertiary education.  We know from first had experience the kids just love their books.

Our vision for the future: go deeper into the homes by targeting pre-school kids.  Keep up the incessant message: reading works because the whole world operates on the written word.

I'd like to add that without Mainfreight's input at sponsorship level, providing free offices, so much support, large cash donations - which we have used wisely - Duffy Books in Homes would not exist.

Alan Duff