The verdict in three sentences
In Saint-Louis in 2026, many NGO project officers and field facilitators read reports in English but stay silent in meetings with donors, which limits their role in funded projects. The Kolonell course Conversational English: speaking with ease at work, taught in French, costs 75,000 FCFA for 24 hours of guided practice, the price of 8 to 15 hours of private lessons. It is level 3 Advanced of the English track, designed for an A2 to B1 level that freezes when speaking.
Why you freeze when speaking, and how to get past it
The block rarely comes from vocabulary. It comes from not having ready-made phrases for the key moments of a meeting: introducing yourself, giving a figure, asking someone to repeat, disagreeing politely. In Saint-Louis, meetings with partners from London, Washington or Accra often cover activity monitoring in the delta, fisheries, irrigated farming or community health.
| Meeting situation | What often blocks | What you practise |
|---|---|---|
| Round of introductions | Sentence too long, hesitation | A 30 second introduction |
| Progress update | Numbers mispronounced | Saying percentages, dates, amounts |
| Question from a donor | Panic, off-topic answer | Rephrasing, buying time politely |
| Disagreement on an indicator | Silence or overly blunt tone | Nuanced phrases for disagreeing |
| Zoom call with poor connection | Not daring to ask for repetition | Asking for clarification comfortably |
| Field visit with a partner | Missing technical vocabulary | Describing an activity, a place, a problem |
| Small talk over lunch | Staying on the sidelines | Small talk about work and the city |
Price of the options to improve in Saint-Louis
The amounts below are 2026 orders of magnitude observed in Saint-Louis and Dakar.
| Option | Cost | Volume | Certificate | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kolonell course, level 3 Advanced | 75,000 FCFA (about 115 EUR) | 24 guided hours, self-paced | Yes, Kolonell Academy certificate | Requires regular practice |
| Private lessons | 5,000 to 10,000 FCFA per hour | 24 h = 120,000 to 240,000 FCFA | No | Quality varies by teacher |
| Language centre (group session) | 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA per session | 30 to 40 h | Attestation | Fixed hours, little individual speaking |
| Free apps | 0 to 5,000 FCFA per month | Variable | No | General vocabulary, no professional meetings |
| Free conversation clubs | 0 FCFA | Variable | No | No structured progression |
The course is taught in French, with role plays in English. It is part of the Professional English track, whose 5 levels cost 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA bought separately.
What English changes in an NGO career
| NGO position in Saint-Louis | Monthly salary, French only (2026 order of magnitude) | With working English |
|---|---|---|
| Field facilitator or agent | 150,000 to 250,000 FCFA | 175,000 to 300,000 FCFA |
| Logistics officer | 250,000 to 400,000 FCFA | 290,000 to 500,000 FCFA |
| M&E assistant | 250,000 to 400,000 FCFA | 300,000 to 500,000 FCFA |
| Project officer | 400,000 to 700,000 FCFA | 460,000 to 900,000 FCFA |
| Regional coordinator | 700,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA | English often required |
A gap of 15 to 30 % is often observed for a bilingual profile, but it depends on the organisation and the funding. English mainly opens access to positions funded by English-speaking donors, where it is often a selection criterion.
Mini case study
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
Mamadou, 31, an M&E assistant at an NGO in Saint-Louis, earns 300,000 FCFA per month. He reads reports in English but lets his coordinator speak during quarterly donor meetings. He takes the course at 3 hours per week for 8 weeks. The following quarter, he presents his indicators himself. A year later, he gets a junior project officer position at 380,000 FCFA. Calculation: 75,000 FCFA of training for an 80,000 FCFA monthly gain, paid back in less than one month of extra salary. This case is illustrative.
FAQ
What English level do I need to start?
An A2 to B1 level: you understand a simple email and a report, but you search for words when speaking. Below that, levels 1 and 2 of the track are a better fit.
How long before I am comfortable in meetings?
The programme aims for 2 minutes of spontaneous English about your work after about 8 weeks, at 3 hours per week. The rest depends on your practice outside the course.
Is it cheaper than private lessons?
For 24 hours, private lessons cost 120,000 to 240,000 FCFA in Saint-Louis. The Kolonell course costs 75,000 FCFA, 2 to 3 times less.
Does the course prepare for TOEIC?
That is not its main goal: it trains professional speaking. For negotiation, reports and presentations, level 4 Business English costs 100,000 FCFA.
How do I enroll?
Enrollment is paid by Wave or Orange Money, in one go. Access to the course opens as soon as payment is confirmed.
Take the next step. Enroll in Conversational English: speaking with ease at work: 24 hours, 75,000 FCFA, Kolonell Academy 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.
