The verdict in three sentences
For a trader, a farm extension officer or a student in Sikasso, two weeks at 2.5 hours a week is enough to cover the 5 hours of level 1, "Discover AI and use it this week" (25,000 FCFA, about 38 EUR). You learn to use ChatGPT or Gemini and Meta AI in WhatsApp on your phone, on 3G, with the free versions. The goal is time saved, around 1 to 3 hours a week, not direct income.
Why this course fits into two weeks
The course Discover AI and use it this week, taught in French, has four short modules and twelve lessons of 12 to 15 minutes, each ending with an exercise on your phone. The only prerequisites: knowing how to use a smartphone and WhatsApp, and having an email address (preferably Gmail) to create the free accounts. No technical skills are required.
In Sikasso, many days are taken up by the market, village rounds or classes. The plan below splits the 5 hours into two blocks of 2.5 hours, for example one Saturday morning and two evenings.
| Period | Module | What you do | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1, session 1 | Module 1 (free preview): understand what AI really is | AI without jargon, the six-task test, spotting what it can lighten in your week | 1 h |
| Week 1, session 2 | Module 2: get started with the main AI tools | Free ChatGPT or Gemini account, Meta AI in WhatsApp, speaking and sending a photo instead of typing | 1 h 30 |
| Week 2, session 1 | Module 3: five useful uses this week | The four-part clear request, professional message, summary, meeting, translation, planning | 1 h 15 |
| Week 2, session 2 | Module 4: limits, risks and good practice | The three checks, your data and Senegal's law 2008-12, fake-voice scams | 45 min |
| End of week 2 | Final project | Your week with AI: five tested uses and your rules sheet | included |
Each module has its PDF handout and its quiz. To get the certificate, you pass the quizzes at 70% minimum; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer.
Five concrete uses to test in your real week
Module 3 has you apply a clear request (who you are, what you want, for whom, in what format) to five tasks. Here is what they might look like in Sikasso. The times are illustrative estimates, to be replaced by your own in your notebook.
| Module 3 use | Sikasso example | Time without AI | Time with AI (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional message | Chasing a wholesale customer for a mango payment | 20 min | 5 min |
| Summarise a document | Summarising a 10-page farming project note | 45 min | 10 min |
| Prepare a meeting | Agenda for a cooperative meeting | 30 min | 10 min |
| Translate and rephrase | Turning a French listing into English for a Ghanaian buyer | 30 min | 5 min |
| Plan your week | Schedule of rounds, market days and revision | 20 min | 5 min |
On the phone, module 2 shows you how to ask out loud or send a photo (a delivery note, a page of notes), which saves typing long texts. Module 4 teaches you to spot an invented answer: AI can get a price, a date or a rule wrong, so nothing goes out without your three checks.
What you have at the end and what it costs
After two weeks, you have: your ChatGPT or Gemini account set up and Meta AI ready in WhatsApp, your notebook of five uses with the time saved, your first ten reusable requests stored in a phone note, your rules sheet and your costed decision on the paid version.
| Option | Indicative 2026 cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Kolonell Academy level 1 | 25,000 FCFA (about 38 EUR) | 5 h, lifetime access, free module 1 |
| Free ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta AI | 0 FCFA | Enough for the whole course |
| Paid version such as ChatGPT Plus | about 11,500 FCFA a month | Module 2 helps you decide if it is worth it |
| Free online tutorials | 0 FCFA | Scattered, often with no guidance on data |
| Full Artificial Intelligence track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | Up to level 5, AI Consultant |
The natural next step is level 2, "Write, analyse and organise your work with AI" (50,000 FCFA, 10 h). All levels are on the Artificial Intelligence track page. The level 1 price is deducted if you later take the full track.
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.
Consider a hypothetical learner: Seydou, 31, a grain trader at Sikasso's main market. Every week he writes payment reminders to customers, messages to suppliers and a short update for his business partner.
Illustrative calculation: if he saves 2 hours a week (the middle of the 1 to 3 hour range cited by the programme), that is about 8 hours a month. If he values an hour of his time at 1,500 FCFA, the time saved is worth 12,000 FCFA a month, and the 25,000 FCFA course would pay for itself in a little over two months. This is an arithmetic assumption, not a result: the real gain depends on how much writing his work involves.
FAQ
Do I need a computer to take the course in Sikasso?
No, a smartphone is enough, and lessons load even on 3G, with no app to install. A computer helps but is not required. Allow 5 hours in total.
Do I have to pay for a ChatGPT subscription?
No, everything works with the free versions of ChatGPT, Gemini and Meta AI. Module 2 gives the real price of paid versions (about 11,500 FCFA a month in September 2026) and a test to see whether you need one.
How do I pay from Mali?
With Wave or Orange Money at +221 77 596 93 33. Access is activated within 24 working hours after payment. It is not refundable once activated: read the free module 1 first.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes, a numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online by QR code, which you can add to LinkedIn, after passing the quizzes at 70% minimum; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer. It is not a state diploma.
Who helps me if I get stuck?
Each course has its forum, and WhatsApp support answers practical questions. There is no video and no live class: lessons are written, with exercises and answer keys.
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Take the next step. Enroll in Discover AI and use it this week: 5 h, 25,000 FCFA (about 38 EUR), Kolonell Academy certificate verifiable online. 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.
