Photos: Amalia Osborne
Weddings are a life- changing occasion. But as Silver Fern great Linda Vagana celebrated the marriage of teammate Bernice Mene and cricketer Dion Nash on Waiheke Island in 2003, she never imagined it would also be the catalyst for a new career that’s brought her two decades of serving her community through Duffy Books in Homes.
“Our netball careers were ending and, as you do at weddings, I was making small talk,” recalls Linda. She found herself chatting with businessman Bruce Plested, the founder of Mainfreight, one of New Zealand’s most successful businesses.
“He had been one of a trio of inspirational leaders who came together to found Duffy Books in Homes alongside [Once Were Warriors author] Alan Duff and philanthropist Chrissie Fernyhough. They believed in a dream for a literate New Zealand, where books are in homes across all communities.
“A few weeks later, Bernie [Bernice] rang to say they were looking for someone to look after the team of staff. They expressed interested in talking to me.”
At the time, in 2003, Linda was the captain of Samoa’s national netball team, was supporting her mum’s business as a seamstress tutor, volunteering in the community with young people and working as marketing manager at AUT. With so much on, there wasn’t time or plans to take on anything else.
However, Linda came from a family of teachers and ministers, so reading had always played a role in her life. She knew she had to give it a try.
Duffy Books in Homes is a literacy programme. It’s aimed at breaking the cycle of booklessness amongst children at low-decile schools by gifting kids their own books.
The charity also promotes literacy through theatre shows, and having Kiwis role models, like athletes and actors, talk to students in school assemblies.
After an unconventional series of meetings with Bruce, including meeting his gorgeous mother – “He was sussing me out” – Linda accepted the general manager role.
Now Duffy Books in Homes has donated almost 15 million books and this year celebrates its 30th birthday.
Reflecting on her 20 years at the helm, Linda is overcome with emotion and gratitude for the team she works with.
“This is the first time I’ve cried in an interview. But I’m getting emotional thinking about it,” shares Linda, 53, taking a breath. “I took reading for granted, now when I go into schools, I see myself in all those kids.”
As a child, Linda first learned to read in Samoan, not learning to read comprehensively in English until high school.
“Being a Christian family, Mum and Dad were so strict on what we laid our eyes on. But, Dad subscribed to National Geographic and Reader’s Digest. Our garage was full of them and unbeknownst to Dad, I loved reading them.”
She remembers her three-bedroom, West Auckland home was always full of family visiting or immigrating from Samoa, and it wasn’t uncommon to be living with up to 16 cousins, aunts and uncles.
“We were pretty spoilt in many ways,” she shares. “There were so many of the aiga [family] living with us. I never had to do many chores and I can remember many nights coming home to read.”
Linda made her debut as a defender for the Silver Ferns in 1993 at the age of 22. She went on to play from 1995 to 2002, taking home three silver medals at the 1999 Netball World Cup, and 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games. And in 2003, she received an NZ Order of Merit for her services to netball.
She’s incredibly proud of her sporting career,. However, nothing means more to Linda than serving her community – values strongly instilled by her parents from a young age.
Be it through Duffy Books in Homes or supporting other young netball athletes, Linda is happiest giving back.
“The work I do with netball is very much still alive,” smiles Linda. This October, she was integral in launching the first Moana Pasifika netball festival Bring Your Village tournament.
“Hope drives everything I do,” she enthuses. “There’s not a destination for me – it’s about right now, the present journey that counts.”
To donate or find out more about Duffy Books in Homes, visit booksinhomes.org.nz
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