Graduate Profile - Mike Taylor (Modern and Popular History)

A graduate is heading for Mongolia to continue his life saving work, after completing his degree and co-founding new organisation, First Aid Africa.

Mike Taylor, 23, worked with friend Sam Abrahams to set up the company which teaches high school students to deliver first aid to their peers, and pass on the knowledge to people in their communities. After studying for A levels, Mike travelled to Moshi in Tanzania to work with a group of volunteer teachers. After spending four months travelling through Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi, Mike decided to head home but with a new understanding of Africa and its problems.

He went through the Clearing process to secure a place on Staffordshire University’s BA(Hons) Modern and Popular History award. Now, three years later and with the Ray Jenkins Prize for his outstanding work under his belt, Mike is back on the voluntary beat. He said: “I wasn’t sure what I would do once I had finished but I knew I wanted to carry on working as a VSO as it is so rewarding and you meet some brilliant people and have such memorable times. “In 2007 Sam had a brainwave about setting up First Aid Africa, so because of my past experience, he came to me for help.

“I’m so glad I came back to England to do a degree,” he added. “It has helped me so much during the planning of First Aid Africa and understanding the region we are focused on.“