Hélène Binesse
Associate Member, REAL Centre at the University of Cambridge
Hélène Binesse is an Associate Member at the REAL (Research for Equitable Access and Learning) Centre, University of Cambridge that she joined in 2023 to map African education research on foundational literacy and numeracy. In collaboration with Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA), she has contributed to updating the African Education Research Database with a particular focus on incorporating Francophone literature.
Her research interest centers on adult learning and literacy, particularly its intersection with health. Her PhD research combined gender, critical literacy and critical ethnography to explore local learning and food practices and the sharing of knowledge within communities and families in Senegal. She is a member of the review group of the University of East Anglia UNESCO Chair in adult literacy and learning for social transformation.
Hélène has a background in promoting the French language having worked for a decade with French teachers and university students in various African contexts, including Eritrea, South Africa and Uganda. She later moved into education and international development, focusing on adult literacy. She led a literacy project for the Afghan police and more recently supported the development of learning material for UNESCO Kabul’s skill development and literacy program.