Biography

Bénédicte is of Serere ethnicity and was born in Joal-Fadiouth, a commune in the department of Thiès. She currently lives in Peycouk Sérère, a village in the commune of Fandène in the same region.
She attended primary and secondary school in the Thiès region, where she obtained her high school diploma in 2010. After graduating from high school, Bénédicte enrolled at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, where she studied geography. Bénédicte holds a master’s degree in geography and specializes in biogeography, the study of terrestrial ecosystems. Bénédicte is currently pursuing a doctoral thesis in geography on the theme of “Women’s knowledge and innovations in artisanal fish processing in Senegal: Implications for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and women’s empowerment.” She speaks Serer, Wolof, French, and English.
Until now, Bénédicte has worked mainly on university research projects focused on development, particularly in support of women’s empowerment and the governance of umbrella organizations. She worked as a laboratory assistant in the Department of Geography between 2017 and 2021. During this period, she also worked as a field researcher for the “Women’s Governance and Innovation (GFI)” project in the Saloum Delta in July 2020. Bénédicte then worked as a research assistant on the projects “Regional and International Cooperation Initiative for Better Adaptation of the Saloum Islands to Climate Change” between August 2018 and March 2019 and “Potential and Ecosystem Services of Carapa procera Plantations in Lower Casamance” between August 2019 and May 2020.
In August 2024, Bénédicte joined CorpsAfrica as a volunteer in community development, first in Senegal, where she worked for one year in the community of Fordiokh. In May 2025, Bénédicte became the coordinator of the Health, Hygiene, and Environment division of the Organization of Volunteers of Africa (OVA). In September 2025, she joined cohort 3 of CorpsAfrica Gambia to expand her international experience. This new experience became an opportunity for her to develop her skills in international community development and to improve her English.
Bénédicte Marie Louise Aly Séne considers CorpsAfrica to be a catalyst for awakening and training African youth and promoting pan-African values. For her, CorpsAfrica is a great opportunity to participate in community development efforts in her country and in Africa. Through high-impact, sustainable projects carried out with the community, she will be able to showcase her skills in social and community development, gain human and professional experience, and develop her leadership skills.