"My story has power"

Through our Westminster Working Cultures Professional programme, international alumni are preparing students for the transition back to life in their home countries.

“ If you think you are too small to make an impact, lock yourself in a room with a mosquito and you’ll see what an impact such a small thing can have.”

That’s what Edmilson Angelo (BA Politics and International Relations, 2016) tells people when they suggest one person can’t make significant change in the world.

His charity, Change 1’s Life, began as a society at Westminster.

“It started small,” he says. “The idea was simply to do something to combat poverty. So we put up posters around the University asking for people to donate things. And every time I travelled back home to Angola, I would pay for extra luggage and take the donations with me.”

Eight years later, Edmilson is no longer just helping his neighbours. Now an official charity, Change 1’s Life employs hundreds of staff and volunteers across London, Paris and Angola, and is affecting the lives of over 3 million people in sub-Saharan Africa.

Edmilson puts the success of the charity down to its transparency.

“I have always been keen on doing something to help others,” he says. “So I started off donating to a charity. But the more I looked into how charities work, the scandals and how they make a lot of money, I questioned whether I was doing the right thing. So I could either just stop giving to charity, or do it in the way that I thought was right.

The purpose of Change 1’s Life is to develop practical, sustainable solutions to combat poverty. This is achieved by a number of projects taking place across the African continent.

“The idea is to be the change we want to see in the world, through inspiring young people to stand up for something bigger than themselves and be part of the solution for the many global problems that we have.”

These words of inspiration are not going to waste. Despite his busy schedule – complete with running the charity, lecturing and completing his PhD – Edmilson has volunteered as a speaker on our Westminster Working Cultures (WWC) Professional programme.

WWC Professional is an online event series, which offers international students and recent graduates an opportunity to learn about the professional landscape and career opportunities in the global labour market.

In particular, the events prepare international students for what to expect of the working culture in their home countries, when they return after graduation.

Edmilson volunteered on our WWC Professional, Career Insights: Africa event, sharing his advice on how students can be a success in Angola and beyond.

“Angola is a country that has been neglected in terms of social impact,” says Edmilson. Historically, he says, the working culture was very dependent on the state – but things are changing.

“More and more, the working culture in Angola and the majority of Africa is about building. People are willing to build and look for local solutions to local problems, without having to rely on the government or an international body to help. It’s a country where there is a big challenge, but a huge opportunity.”

As well as speaking to students about what to expect of Africa’s working culture, Edmilson also wanted to use the opportunity of WWC Professional to express the importance of these students’ purposes.

“My specific advice to the African students was that: we come from places where we wish many people our ages could have the same chances as us. So in a way, we are representing other people.

“If you are here, it is because you have a purpose and that is connected to where you come from. And if you realise that, you realise that you are not just here for yourself. You are here for a whole nation.”

Since we launched WWC Professional in 2020, we have hosted 13 events, focusing on regions across the world: from Latin America to the Middle East, from Europe to Central Asia. Each of our alumni volunteers bring something different. Their knowledge of specific industries and local insights help students with the transition to being back in their home countries, and establishing themselves professionally.

Meanwhile, the stories and unique experiences they share, offer a preview of what can be achieved with a Westminster degree, and encourage international students to consider the impact they can have around the globe.

“I strongly believe that my story has power,” says Edmilson. “Just the fact that I come from where I come from – somewhere that is not well represented. And the fact that I am 29 and have achieved all of this. So my story has the power to motivate people to see themselves as someone who can do more and should explore their horizons while they are students.

“University is more than just three years of coming to class and getting a certificate,” he adds. “I am who I am because of what I did at Westminster. I did a Masters at the University of Oxford, I’m finishing my PhD, I have worked for the UN. But it was Westminster that created a solid ground for everything that would come after.

“So my experience at Westminster was great and it’s still great because I’m still part of the community. I will continue to use my journey and my stories to inspire students and show them just how much they can do.”

Thank you

There are three strands of Westminster Working Cultures programmes: UK, International and Professional.

None of these would be possible without the dedication of our amazing volunteers. If you would like to share your experience with our students and take part in WWC, visit: westminster.ac.uk/get-involved