Update: 140 schools are currently waiting for a Funding Partner. Be the reason these tamariki fall in love with reading.
What does a love of reading unlock?
For Noeleen Tuala, it unlocked confidence, creativity, and a future she could never have imagined.
Growing up, Noeleen was one of thousands of tamariki who received books through the Duffy Books in Homes programme. Those books became more than stories to enjoy – they became windows into new ideas, new possibilities, and a belief that she could write her own story.
Today, Noeleen is the founder of two successful Pasifika businesses, PELE Baby and TUSI Stationery, proving that reading for pleasure can grow into something extraordinary.
Books that opened doors
Every child deserves the opportunity to own books.
For many Duffy children, the books they receive become the first books they can truly call their own. They are read, shared with siblings, revisited countless times, and often treasured long after childhood.
For Noeleen, those books helped develop a lifelong love of reading that continued to shape her education, confidence, and career.
Reading introduced her to different perspectives, encouraged curiosity, and gave her the confidence to pursue opportunities she may never have considered otherwise.
Building businesses with purpose
Today, Noeleen channels that same creativity into businesses that celebrate culture, identity, and family.
Through PELE Baby and TUSI Stationery, she creates products that reflect Pasifika heritage while encouraging connection, learning, and storytelling.
Her journey is a powerful reminder that literacy skills help to build confidence, resilience, communication, and a desire to dream big.
Why Duffy matters
Stories like Noeleen’s remind us why the Duffy programme exists.
Every book placed into the hands of a child is an investment in their future. While we never know exactly where each child’s journey will lead, we know that reading builds the skills, imagination, and self-belief that help make those journeys possible.
Today, more than 16 million books have been distributed through Duffy Books in Homes, helping generations of young New Zealanders discover the joy of reading and the opportunities it can create.
Noeleen is just one of many former Duffy students who continue to demonstrate the lasting impact that book ownership and literacy can have.
Watch Noeleen’s story
Hear directly from Noeleen as she reflects on growing up with Duffy Books in Homes, the books that inspired her, and how reading helped shape the person – and business owner – she is today.
Every book has the power to change a life
Not every child who receives a Duffy book will grow up to start a business.
But every child deserves the chance to discover where reading might take them.
Whether it leads to entrepreneurship, creativity, science, teaching, sport, or simply a lifelong love of learning, every book has the potential to unlock a future full of possibility.
That’s why Duffy Books in Homes continues to do what we do – one book, one child, and one story at a time.
Help write the next success story
Every child deserves the opportunity to discover where reading can take them.
Whether you support a school, become a Duffy Role Model, or make a donation, you can help put more books into the hands of tamariki across Aotearoa.
Together, we can help create the next generation of readers, dreamers, creators, and storytellers.