The verdict in three sentences
In Kaolack, many traders, young graduates and office workers do everything on their phones and lose their files in the Downloads folder. Yet about 70% of office job offers require email skills, and computer ease is often tested at the interview. The course Getting Started with Your Computer, Files and Email, taught in French, fixes this in 9 hours for 25,000 FCFA (38 EUR, about 41 USD), with a verifiable certificate.
What poor computer skills cost you
The effects show quickly at work: a document you cannot find in front of your manager, a forgotten attachment, an email sent without subject or signature, a file overwritten with no backup. Added up, these small losses often cost an hour a day. For a trader at the central market sending invoices and purchase orders, it is also about image with suppliers and wholesalers.
| Everyday task | Beginner with no method | After the course |
|---|---|---|
| Finding a file | 5 to 10 minutes of searching | Under 30 seconds thanks to a folder plan |
| Naming a document | Document1, final scan 2 | Dated rule, for example 2026-11-01_invoice_client |
| Backing up | Nothing, or a lost USB stick | Automatic backup to Google Drive or OneDrive |
| Writing an email | No subject, casual tone | Clear subject, greeting, professional signature |
| Sorting the inbox | 300 unread messages | Folders and one automatic rule |
| Typing French accents | Copy-paste from the internet | AZERTY keyboard mastered, special characters included |
| Saving time | Mouse only | About twenty keyboard shortcuts |
The program in 4 modules
This is level 1 of the Office and productivity track, the entry point. The course has 9 hours, 4 modules, 20 lessons and 52 exercises done on your own computer.
- Taking control of your workstation: Windows 11, the desktop, windows, the AZERTY keyboard and accents.
- Files, folders and backup: a clear folder tree, a naming rule and a tested backup.
- Professional email: Gmail or Outlook, signature, attachments, message templates, sorting.
- Keyboard shortcuts and work organisation: a sheet of 20 shortcuts and a daily routine.
Each module ends with a step-by-step workshop on a fictional case, with real files to download and their answers, then a quiz. A final project brings everything together and unlocks the verifiable Kolonell certificate. Lessons are short and designed for mobile data, which matters in Kaolack where many people work from a phone hotspot.
Comparing options in Kaolack
| Option | 2026 order of magnitude | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Free YouTube tutorials | 0 FCFA | Scattered, often on other keyboards and versions |
| Cybercafe lessons | 15,000 to 30,000 FCFA a month | No certificate, quality depends on the instructor |
| In-person training centre | 40,000 to 80,000 FCFA per session | Fixed hours, travel |
| Kolonell level 1 course | 25,000 FCFA, 9 h | You need a computer, even second-hand |
| Full 5-level track | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | To go on to Word, Excel and advanced productivity |
Enrollment is paid with Wave or Orange Money, no bank card needed.
How it helps you get a job
This course does not give you a profession on its own. It is the foundation required for most office roles: administrative clerk, data entry assistant, cashier in a structured company, secretary in a firm or school. In Dakar these roles usually start at 100,000 to 180,000 FCFA gross a month in 2026, and in Kaolack more often at 80,000 to 150,000 FCFA depending on the employer, as an order of magnitude. The minimum wage is around 64,000 FCFA. The next step in the track, professional Word, teaches you to produce business-quality documents.
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.
Fatou, 23, holds a vocational diploma in accounting in Kaolack and sends job applications from her phone. She has no email signature and her CV files are called cv final final.
- Course cost: 25,000 FCFA, less than one month of cybercafe lessons at 30,000 FCFA, with a certificate on top.
- Time: 9 hours, spread over 3 weekends of 3 hours.
- Expected result: applications sent from a proper email address, with a subject, a well-named attachment and a signature.
- If she lands an administrative assistant role at 110,000 FCFA a month, the course equals about 23% of a first salary, earned back in under a week of work.
This is a simulation: hiring also depends on the diploma, the interview and the local market. No job or income is guaranteed.
FAQ
I have never used a computer. Can I take this course?
Yes, it is built for true beginners. The 20 lessons start from the Windows 11 desktop and the keyboard, and the 52 exercises are step by step.
Do I need my own computer?
You need one to practise, even second-hand (a refurbished laptop costs roughly 120,000 to 200,000 FCFA in Kaolack). A phone is not enough for the exercises.
How long does it take?
The program is 9 hours. Most learners finish in 1 to 3 weeks.
Is the certificate recognised?
It is a Kolonell certificate that a recruiter can verify online. It proves you completed the final project, but it is not a state diploma.
How do I pay the 25,000 FCFA?
With Wave or Orange Money. If you aim for all five levels, the full track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000.
Take the next step. Enroll in Getting Started with Your Computer, Files and Email: 9 hours, 25,000 FCFA, verifiable 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.
