Livino K from the Sumi community in Nagaland, has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Huayu (Mandarin) Enrichment Scholarship by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education. Hailing from Yemishe, a small village in the Zunheboto district, Livino is set to embark on a transformative six-month study trip to Taiwan.
Her journey into the world of Mandarin began unexpectedly in 2025 while exploring opportunities for interdisciplinary learning. Stumbling upon the online Mandarin program offered by the Taiwan Education Center at Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU), Livino was intrigued by the center’s reputation, its quality teaching and the chance to sit for standardized proficiency exams. She finally decided to dive in.
What began as curiosity soon developed into a serious commitment. Over the next few months, Livino acquired the fundamentals of the language—navigating the four tones, pinyin, basic character writing, and essential daily vocabulary. By March 2026, she successfully cleared the standardized Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL), earning a Novice-level certificate that qualified her to apply for the competitive scholarship.
However, Livino’s path to success was far from seamless. Living in a remote part of Nagaland meant dealing with erratic power supplies and unstable internet connection.
Her Mandarin teacher, Kuei-Mi LI recalled being deeply moved by Livino’s relentless dedication. “Livino proved herself to be a remarkably sincere student from day one,” Ms. LI shared. “I was touched to see how she spared no effort to show up to almost every class, despite the highly unfavorable conditions of her far-flung location, like frequent power outages and a highly unstable network.”
With LI’s encouragement and recommendation, Livino applied for the Huayu scholarship. When the results were announced recently, she was “thrilled”.
“I know seats for this scholarship are highly limited, so being selected made me feel like my efforts and aspirations were truly valued,” Livino said. “Receiving the scholarship would be life-changing. It covers tuition fees, accommodation, and provides a monthly stipend, allowing me to focus entirely on my studies. It will also strengthen my bilingual abilities and create greater opportunities for my future career,” she explained.
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Looking ahead to her stay in Taiwan, Livino has set clear academic and cultural objectives. While the classes at ADBU gave her a strong foundation, she wants to immerse herself in a completely Mandarin-speaking environment to truly master the language. She is also eager to experience Taiwanese culture firsthand—from traditional festivals like the Lunar New Year and the Lantern Festival to the local professional work ethic. In the near future, she aims to clear the TOCFL Band A2 or even B1 levels. In the long term, Livino hopes to use her language skills to strengthen ties between India and Taiwan.
She strongly encourages other people from Northeast India to step out of their comfort zones and take the challenge as well. “Mandarin is not just a language; because of the tones and characters, it actually trains your brain to think differently,” Livino explained. “For students from the Northeast where opportunities to go abroad can be limited, this scholarship is an incredible gateway to global exposure while building a highly valuable skill.”
LI noted that Taiwan government provides Huayu Enrichment Scholarship annually to international learners, offering a monthly stipend of 28,000 NTD (approximately ₹80,000 with the current exchange rate). Under LI’s guidance, as many as 20 students from her ADBU program—all hailing from Northeast states like Nagaland, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh—have received various scholarships. Several alumni are already working in Taiwanese companies operating within India.
“The objective of the scholarship is to equip learners with highly sought-after language skills, deepen their understanding of Taiwanese culture, and strengthen mutual understanding and people-to-people exchanges between India and Taiwan,” LI said. “I hope the success stories of my students will inspire more learners from the Northeast to come forward and explore the incredible opportunities Taiwan has to offer.”
