The verdict in three sentences
If you live in Thies and have never really used ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude, the step is small: 5 hours online, from your phone, for 25,000 FCFA (38 EUR). The goal is not a new career but time saved, roughly 1 to 3 hours per week for an employee or shopkeeper, and up to 3 to 5 hours for writing-heavy jobs (teachers, secretaries, administrators). Start with the free tools, learn the safety rules for your data, then decide with real numbers whether a paid subscription is worth it.
Why learn AI now when you live in Thies
In Thies, AI is already in your pocket: Meta AI is built into WhatsApp, and ChatGPT and Gemini open in the browser of an entry-level smartphone. What most people lack is not the tool but the method: what to ask, how to check, and what you should never paste into a conversation.
The uses that save time from the first week are concrete: writing a clean professional message to a client or a parent, summarizing a ten-page memo, preparing a meeting agenda, translating a letter from English to French, planning your week. For a teacher at Lycée Malick Sy preparing exam papers, a shop manager at the Central market answering customers, or a student at Université Iba Der Thiam revising, it is the same five actions.
The second argument is local: training in Dakar costs time and transport. An online course can be followed in the evening, at your own pace, on an ordinary 4G connection.
| Way to learn AI (2026 estimate) | Cost | Time required | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free YouTube videos | 0 FCFA (plus 2,000 to 5,000 FCFA of data) | 10 to 20 h of sorting | Scattered tips, often in English, no local examples |
| Free online certificates (international platforms) | 0 FCFA | 6 to 15 h | General theory, few exercises on your real week |
| One-off in-person workshop in Dakar | 30,000 to 60,000 FCFA, plus 4,000 to 8,000 FCFA round-trip transport | 1 day, plus 3 to 4 h on the road | A group demo, little follow-up |
| Kolonell course, level 1 of 5 (Beginner) | 25,000 FCFA (38 EUR) | 5 h online, at your pace | 4 modules, 36 exercises, quizzes, graded project, verifiable certificate |
| Paid AI subscription without training | 12,000 to 13,000 FCFA per month | Variable | The tool, without the method |
What the course teaches, module by module
The course Discover AI and use it this week, taught in French, is designed for someone who uses WhatsApp every day and nothing more. No technical skills are required, a phone is enough. Examples come from Dakar, Abidjan and Bamako, with real FCFA prices for paid versions.
| Module | What you do | What you leave with |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Understand what AI is | See how an answer is produced, why AI sometimes makes things up | The right reflexes before trusting an answer |
| 2. Get started with the tools | Create a free ChatGPT or Gemini account, enable Meta AI in WhatsApp | Your accounts ready on your phone |
| 3. Five uses for the week | Professional message, summary, meeting, translation, planning | A log of five tested uses, with time saved recorded |
| 4. Limits, risks, good practice | Sort what must never be pasted and what must be anonymized | Your rules sheet and three systematic checks |
| Final project | Document a real week with AI | Ten reusable prompts and a free or paid decision |
The Kolonell certificate is awarded if you score at least 70% on the quizzes and submit your project. This is level 1 of the Artificial Intelligence track, which has 5 levels: the full track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA when buying levels one by one. Nothing forces you to go further: many people stop at level 1 and use AI every day.
Mini case study
Ibrahima, 38, runs a hardware store near the Thies railway station. Every week he spends about 4 hours writing WhatsApp messages to suppliers, rewording purchase orders and answering the same customer questions.
After the course, he uses Meta AI and free ChatGPT for three tasks: supplier message templates, standard customer replies and a weekly order list. He records 2.5 hours saved per week, about 10 hours per month.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
If he values his hour at 2,500 FCFA (what he would pay an employee for the same task), the monthly gain is around 25,000 FCFA. The course, paid once at 25,000 FCFA via Wave, pays for itself in about four weeks. He stays on the free version: at 12,000 FCFA per month, a subscription would only make sense if he saved at least 5 more hours. This scenario is illustrative, your numbers will depend on how much writing your work involves.
FAQ
Do I need a computer to follow the course?
No, a smartphone with a 4G connection is enough for the 5 hours and 36 exercises. Allow 1 to 2 GB of data for all videos and exercises, about 1,000 to 2,000 FCFA depending on your plan.
Do I have to pay for ChatGPT or Claude to learn?
No, the whole course uses the free versions of ChatGPT, Gemini and Meta AI. The last module helps you calculate whether a subscription at 12,000 or 13,000 FCFA per month is worth it for you.
How long does it take to finish?
The course lasts 5 hours. Most learners finish in one week, at 45 minutes per evening, applying each use in the next day's work.
Is my data at risk if I use AI?
It is if you paste anything: ID numbers, customer data, confidential documents. Module 4 gives you a clear rules sheet and three checks to run before each use.
How do I pay from Thies?
Enrollment is paid online by Wave or Orange Money, 25,000 FCFA in one payment. Access is immediate and the certificate can be verified online once the quizzes are passed at 70% and the project is submitted.
Take the next step. Enroll in Discover AI and use it this week: 5 hours online (taught in French), 25,000 FCFA, verifiable Kolonell certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
