A young woman from Nagaland’s Sumi community has earned a prestigious international scholarship, taking her from a remote village in Zunheboto district to Taiwan for advanced Mandarin language studies.
Livino K, a native of Yemishe village, has been awarded the 2026 Huayu (Mandarin) Enrichment Scholarship by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education. The scholarship will enable her to pursue six months of language study in Taiwan while covering tuition, accommodation and a monthly stipend.
Livino’s journey began in 2025 when she enrolled in an online Mandarin programme offered by the Taiwan Education Center at Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU). What started as curiosity soon developed into a serious pursuit. Over several months, she learned Mandarin fundamentals, including pronunciation, character writing and everyday communication skills.
In March 2026, she passed the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) at the Novice level, qualifying her to apply for the competitive scholarship.
Her achievement came despite challenges common in rural areas, including frequent power outages and unstable internet connectivity. Her Mandarin instructor, Kuei-Mi Li, praised her dedication, saying, “Livino proved herself to be a remarkably sincere student from day one. I was touched to see how she spared no effort to attend classes despite the highly unfavourable conditions.”
Expressing her excitement, Livino said she was “thrilled” to be selected. “I know seats for this scholarship are highly limited, so being selected made me feel that my efforts and aspirations were truly valued,” she said.
Looking ahead, Livino hopes to improve her Mandarin proficiency, immerse herself in Taiwanese culture and eventually use her language skills to strengthen educational and professional ties between India and Taiwan. She also encouraged other students from Northeast India to pursue similar opportunities, describing the scholarship as “an incredible gateway to global exposure and a valuable skill for the future.”