The verdict in three sentences
In Saint-Louis, artificial intelligence is no longer reserved for IT people: a teacher, a UGB student or an administrative officer can use it this week on their phone. Kolonell Academy's Discover AI and put it to work this week course (level 1, 5 hours, 25,000 FCFA, about 38 EUR) teaches you to open ChatGPT, Gemini or Meta AI, write a useful request and protect your data. The target gain, as a 2026 order of magnitude, is 3 to 5 hours a week on letters, reports, lessons and revision, with no mandatory subscription.
What AI concretely changes in a working week
The course focuses on five simple uses, tested in your real week. Here are time savings for typical Saint-Louis profiles, as estimates.
| Task | Profile | Time without AI | Time with AI (incl. review) | Estimated weekly gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writing letters and administrative notes | Town hall or regional office officer | 4 h | 2 h | 2 h |
| Preparing lesson sheets and exercises | Middle or high school teacher | 5 h | 3 h | 2 h |
| Summarizing articles for a thesis | UGB student | 6 h | 3 h 30 | 2 h 30 |
| Writing a monthly activity report | Office worker, NGO | 3 h | 1 h 30 | 1 h 30 |
| Replying to customer messages | Shopkeeper, hotelier on the island | 3 h | 2 h | 1 h |
| Translating a simple FR to EN document | Any profile | 2 h | 30 min | 1 h 30 |
AI sometimes gets things wrong: the "Limits, risks and good practices" module teaches you to check figures, never paste sensitive personal data and keep your own judgment.
Comparing ways to discover AI in Saint-Louis
| Option | 2026 cost | Duration | Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kolonell Academy, Discover AI (level 1) | 25,000 FCFA one-off (about 38 EUR) | 5 h, on your phone | Five concrete uses, safety rules, certificate | Discovery level, no automation |
| Full Artificial intelligence track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | About 6 months | Up to automation and AI consulting | Only useful if you aim for an AI career |
| One-off in-person workshop | 15,000 to 50,000 FCFA | 2 h to 1 day | Live demonstration | Little practice on your real tasks |
| Paid AI subscription (ChatGPT Plus, Gemini Advanced) | 20 USD a month, about 12,000 FCFA | Unlimited | More powerful tools | Optional, useless without a method |
| Free online tutorials | 0 FCFA | Variable | Instant access | Often in English, no local context |
The course Discover AI and put it to work this week, taught in French, has four modules: understanding what AI really is, getting started with the main tools, five useful uses this week, limits and good practices. It opens the Artificial intelligence track, whose level 2 (50,000 FCFA) goes deeper into writing, analyzing and organizing work with AI.
What everyday AI use really costs
| Item | Free version | Paid version | Recommendation to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Limited access, enough for 10 to 30 requests a day | 20 USD a month (about 12,000 FCFA) | Free |
| Gemini | Free with a Google account | About 20 USD a month | Free |
| Meta AI in WhatsApp | Free | No paid plan | Free |
| Mobile data plan | 1 GB covers 300 to 500 text exchanges | Plan of 2,000 to 5,000 FCFA a month | Your usual plan |
| Kolonell course level 1 | No | 25,000 FCFA one-off | Recommended to save time from week 1 |
You can take the whole course without paying for an AI subscription.
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.
Mariama, 38, a French teacher at a high school in Saint-Louis, spends about 5 hours a week preparing lesson sheets and exercises, plus 2 hours on letters to parents. After the 25,000 FCFA course, she uses Gemini for free to produce a first draft that she corrects. She saves about 3 hours a week, i.e. 12 hours a month. Valuing her hour at 2,500 FCFA (the rate of a modest private lesson), the gain is worth 30,000 FCFA a month (about 46 EUR): the course pays for itself in under 4 weeks. She can also reinvest that time in 3 hours of paid private lessons, depending on local demand.
FAQ
Do I need to know how to code?
No. Level 1 is designed for people who have never used AI. All you need is a smartphone and an internet connection, and the 5 hours are split into four short modules.
How much does the course cost and how do I pay?
25,000 FCFA for level 1 (about 38 EUR or 42 USD). The full 5-level track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
Do I need to buy a 12,000 FCFA a month AI subscription?
No, the course uses the free versions of ChatGPT, Gemini and Meta AI. The paid subscription of about 20 USD a month remains optional.
Can students use AI for their thesis?
Yes, to summarize, structure and rephrase, provided you follow university rules and cite your sources. The course explains what you should never delegate to AI.
Is my data protected?
The good practices module teaches you never to enter ID card numbers, named student grades or medical data, and to adjust the tools' privacy settings in 10 minutes.
Take the next step. Enroll in Discover AI and put it to work this week: 5 hours, 25,000 FCFA (about 38 EUR), 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.
