Khush is going to Mizoram! Read on...

English for kids in refugee camps = access to education and employment opportunities. We can teach them on Zoom but we need to get them devices and Internet access.

In particular, right now, 25 Bridges needs long cables to get these kids workable Internet so they can attend classes on Zoom.

We’ve been giving weekly online English classes to Myanmar war escapees in refugee camps in North East India since 2022.

Up to 70 students at a time attend classes in breakout rooms. The Internet connections are usually unworkable and we have insufficient devices for all who want to log on.

In the Sihmuei camps in Aizawl alone there are 700 people. They are SO keen to learn and create opportunities for their community...

Attendees are mostly teen children, and in some cases their parents. They start class as early as 6:00AM, to finish before going to school, at times with four or more gathered around a mobile phone belonging to a caregiver.

We are fundraising for long ethernet cables that connect multiple huts to Wifi boxes, so that more people can attend and pick up the language skills that dramatically improve their chances of education, employment and quality of life.

Our next step

One of our teachers, Khushnam Patel is travelling from Sydney to the camps at her own cost to supervise the installation of the equipment. Can you help us fund this?

The Cable/Wifi project

The Wifi boxes are cheap; the cabling is expensive. A Wifi/cable set up is around USD$500. We are targeting FOUR. That would make a real difference.

The devices project

We can purchase devices locally in India, avoiding heavy import duties. We know that tablet computers are ideal, with bigger screens than phones and lower costs than laptops. They are also easier to maintain.

Cost is around USD140 per device, including some spare chargers and batteries. We intend buying identical devices from a reputable wholesaler. Our minimum specification is 2GB RAM running Android 7 or higher. This allows them to run Zoom. We prioritise families with demonstrated enthusiasm and multiple students.

About 25 Bridges

25 Bridges, formerly CHAI - Chin Humanitarian Aid International is an established NGO in Maryland USA. It was created in 2021 after the military coup, when thousands of Myanmarese war escapees crossed the border to Mizoram in India. Family members of the founder and chairperson of CHAI were among the escapees.

We initially raised funds to provide humanitarian aid - food, medicines, water tanks and pipes, and then sewing machines, giving women the dignity of work. Training sessions gave more than sixty women tailoring skills, increasing self esteem as well as mental health and wellbeing.

Donated funds go directly to the communities in the camps. Field officers on the ground receive the funds, purchase the items and distribute them directly to individuals and communities. Every dollar raised is accounted for and the integrity of the CHAI team inside Mizoram and Myanmar is robust. Clear communication between CHAI teams on the ground and the charity have resulted in successful delivery of much needed supplies over the past four years.

About the Teachers

Tutors from USA, Australia, India and New Zealand volunteer their time to teach English as a Second Language, and over the last three years the level of language competence and confidence has increased to the extent that children can now start to enrol in local English-speaking schools.

One of our teachers, Marion Porteous, travelled to the camps this year to meet students and deliver hardware devices. Khushnam Patel will travel from Sydney in December 2026 for the same purpose.

Please help us support these ambitious, positive kids and uplift their communities.