The idea of creating LERAS Afrique was born when we realized the enormous need for research and action in the field of health and development in Benin. With our different but overlapping backgrounds at the crossroads of practice and research in the health, human and social sciences, we decided to pool our skills to be more useful to our communities. Armed with this potential, it seemed appropriate to pool our energies to bridge the gap between our universities, research hubs par excellence, and our communities. Having grown up in Benin for the most part, and having had international experience, some in Central and West Africa, others in the Maghreb, South-East Asia and North America, the diversity of individual experience making up this group makes it a melting pot of excellence and adaptability needed to work in a context of international cooperation.
Health remains a major challenge in Africa, due to the lack of health coverage. LERAS Afrique is committed to supporting action-research initiatives to improve health in Benin and across the continent.