The verdict in three sentences
In 3 weeks, at 2 or 3 hours a week, a high school or university student in Ziguinchor who has never coded can understand how a website works, write a first HTML page and publish it online for free. That is exactly the scope of Kolonell Academy's level 1 Discover code course: 25,000 FCFA (about 38 EUR) for 6 hours, with a computer, even an old one, while lessons can be read on a phone. To be clear from the start: this level is not enough to bill for development work, it is there to start properly and decide whether the job suits you.
The 3-week plan
The plan follows the three modules of the course Discover code: understanding how a website works, taught in French. Lessons last 15 to 18 minutes; the rest of the time goes to coding exercises and the project.
| Week | Module | What you do | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | How the web works (free preview) | Browser, URL, server, domain name, DNS, hosting, the role of HTML, CSS and JavaScript | 2 h |
| 1 (continued) | Exercise of the week | Your web map: an annotated diagram of a page's journey from your phone to the server | Included |
| 2 | Your first steps in HTML | Install VS Code, create your project folder, headings, paragraphs, lists, links, images and file paths | 2 h to 2.5 h |
| 3 | Style, interaction and going live | Inspect a real site with Chrome's tools, add CSS, a button that reacts to a click in JavaScript | 1.5 h |
| 3 (end) | Final project | Your personal page published on GitHub Pages or Netlify, with a link to send on WhatsApp | 30 min to 1 h |
Week 1 has no code to write: you first understand the web. In module 3, you inspect a real Senegalese or Ivorian website and record what you find in an inspection sheet. You finish with your progression plan: the next course and your study rhythm.
Equipment and connection in Ziguinchor
Prerequisites: no programming experience, knowing how to use a browser and create a folder. To read the lessons, a phone is enough, even over 3G. To write and publish your page, you need a computer, even an old one: VS Code and Chrome run on a machine with 4 GB of RAM. If you do not have one, a friend's computer or an internet café can help for weeks 2 and 3.
| Expense | Cost (2026 order of magnitude) | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Beginner course | 25,000 FCFA (38 EUR) | Yes |
| VS Code, Chrome, GitHub Pages, Netlify | 0 FCFA | Yes, but free |
| .com domain name | 6,300 to 8,600 FCFA per year (10 to 13 EUR) | No, optional at this level |
| Data bundle for 3 weeks | A few thousand FCFA depending on the operator | Depends on your access |
| Internet café hours if no computer | Varies by neighbourhood | Only if needed |
| YouTube tutorials alone | 0 FCFA, data aside | Possible, but no progression or guided project |
Module 1 is a free preview: read it before paying. Since access is not refundable once activated, it is the best way to check that the written format suits you.
And after these 3 weeks?
This level is the entry point of the Web Development track. Next come level 2 (HTML and CSS: building and laying out a real site), then JavaScript, React and Next.js, up to level 5, Full-stack JavaScript Developer. The full 5-level track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 (535 EUR instead of 686).
The program quotes, for a junior developer in Dakar in 2026, a salary of 200,000 to 400,000 FCFA per month (up to 500,000 FCFA in some fast-growing start-ups), after the full track. This is a 2026 order of magnitude, it varies by profile, no income is guaranteed, and it is not a 3-week horizon.
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: Ibrahima, 19, in his first year at Assane Seck University in Ziguinchor, wants to find out whether he likes web development before committing several months to it. He sets aside two evenings a week. Illustrative calculation: 25,000 FCFA for 6 hours, roughly 4,200 FCFA per hour of guided learning, with no subscription or equipment to buy if he borrows a cousin's computer. At the end of week 3, he has a page online and a clear answer: move on to level 2, or stop having understood what a website is. Both outcomes are useful; neither guarantees a job.
FAQ
I have never coded. Is this really for me?
Yes, it is the intended audience. Module 1 contains no code; coding exercises start in module 2, one tag at a time.
Is a phone enough?
To read the lessons, yes. To write and publish your page, you need a computer, even an old one with 4 GB of RAM.
Will I be a developer after 3 weeks?
No. You will know how a website works and you will have published your first page. The job requires the next levels of the track, up to level 5.
Do I have to pay for hosting?
No. GitHub Pages and Netlify publish a static page for free; a domain name (6,300 to 8,600 FCFA per year) remains optional.
Is there a certificate?
Yes, a numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online (QR code), that you can add to LinkedIn, after passing the module quizzes with at least 70%; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer. Access is lifetime, activated within 24 working hours after payment, with a forum and WhatsApp support.
---
Take the next step. Enroll in Discover code: understanding how a website works: 6 hours, level 1 Beginner, 25,000 FCFA (about 38 EUR), verifiable Kolonell Academy certificate, taught in French. 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.
