The verdict in three sentences
Kolonell Academy's Professional Word course is built around documents you keep: by the end you have six reusable deliverables, from letterhead to an 8 to 12-page report. It costs 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR / 83 USD) for 10 hours (level 2 Beginner), the low end of what a Word module costs at a training centre in Bamako. If you write letters, CVs or reports every week, this is the level to take before Excel.
What you build, module by module
Most Word users align text with the space bar, bold their headings by hand and rebuild the table of contents the night before a meeting. The programme fixes these habits one by one, and each module ends with a concrete piece of your portfolio. The course is taught in French.
| Module | What you learn | What you produce |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Solid foundations in Word (free preview) | Paragraphs, indents, tabs, PDF export | A cleanly aligned document, no strings of spaces |
| 2. Professional page layout | A4 margins, headers, footers, page numbers, section breaks | Your letterhead and .dotx letter template (project 1) |
| 3. Styles, headings and table of contents | Styles, numbered headings, navigation pane, captions, cross-references | Your custom style set |
| 4. Images, tables and visual elements | Image wrapping, tables with repeated header rows, cover page, appendices | The cover page and appendices of your report |
| 5. CVs, letters and professional reports | A CV that passes screening, cover letter, official letter, meeting minutes | Your professional Word portfolio (final project) |
The format is simple: written lessons, one PDF handout per module, exercises after each lesson, one quiz per module and two projects to submit. There is no video and no live class, so lessons are easy to read on a phone, even on 3G. For the exercises, free Word for the web is enough in most cases; lessons point out the alternative when a feature (.dotx templates, advanced section breaks) is more complete in the desktop app.
The six documents in the final portfolio, and what they are for in Bamako
The module 5 final project, your professional Word portfolio, brings together everything you built:
- Letterhead with a logo (created or touched up in Canva), contact details, your organisation's legal mentions (in Mali, RCCM and tax ID number) and page numbering.
- A standard official letter, saved as a .dotx template: you open a new letter already laid out and just write.
- A one or two-page CV in corporate format, exported to PDF. The lesson covers the format expected in West Africa, then the adjustments for applications in France, Canada or an international organisation.
- A cover letter or tender response letter, presented according to standard practice.
- A structured 8 to 12-page report with a cover page, automatic table of contents, captioned tables and appendices.
- A custom style set you reuse for all your future documents.
For an executive assistant, this is the core of daily work. For a final-year student, it is a thesis that updates itself. For a small business owner in Bamako, it means quotes and letters that inspire confidence in a client or a donor.
| Option to learn Word in Bamako | 2026 price | Duration | What you keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolonell Academy, Professional Word (level 2) | 50,000 FCFA | 10 h, at your own pace | Six deliverables, lifetime access, numbered certificate |
| Word module at a Bamako training centre | 50,000 to 100,000 FCFA (rough estimate) | 15 to 30 h on fixed hours | Depending on the centre, attendance certificate |
| Free YouTube tutorials | 0 FCFA (plus mobile data) | Variable | No guided project, no certificate |
| Full Office Productivity track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | Level 1 to level 5 | Word, Excel and the rest of the track |
The prerequisite is modest: level 1 of the track (getting started with your computer, files and email) or equivalent comfort with Windows, the keyboard and folders. You will find all five levels on the Office and Productivity track page.
What these skills can earn
Word skills are required in almost every secretarial and assistant job ad. They can also bring side income, provided you find clients. The rates below are 2026 orders of magnitude observed in Dakar and consistent with Bamako; they vary with complexity, and no income is guaranteed.
| Layout service | Indicative 2026 rate | Example volume | Indicative amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| CV formatted and exported to PDF | 5,000 to 15,000 FCFA | 1 CV | 5,000 to 15,000 FCFA |
| Thesis layout | 1,000 to 2,500 FCFA per page | 50 pages | 50,000 to 125,000 FCFA |
| NGO or association activity report | 1,000 to 2,500 FCFA per page | 12 pages | 12,000 to 30,000 FCFA |
| Letter or official correspondence | Often bundled in a package | 1 letter | Variable |
| .dotx template for a small business | Negotiated | 1 template | Variable |
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: Mariam, 23, a final-year management student in Bamako. She takes the Professional Word course: CVs, reports and documents in three sessions a week and finishes in four weeks. Cost: 50,000 FCFA.
Her 60-page thesis benefits directly from styles and the automatic table of contents. Illustrative calculation: if, in the following months, two classmates asked her to lay out their 40-page theses at 1,000 FCFA per page (80,000 FCFA) and three people ordered a CV at 7,500 FCFA (22,500 FCFA), she would cover the course price. This scenario is only an assumption: it all depends on her network and on demand.
FAQ
Is free Word for the web enough to follow the course?
For most exercises, yes. A few features, such as .dotx templates or some table of contents options, are more complete in desktop Word (Microsoft 365, Office 2019 or later), and each lesson flags the alternative.
How much time should I plan?
About ten hours: roughly 5 h 30 of lessons, the exercises and two projects (one hour for the letterhead, an hour and a half for the final report). With three sessions a week, you finish in three to four weeks.
What certificate do I get?
A numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online by QR code, which you can add to LinkedIn. You earn it by passing the quizzes of all five modules with at least 70 %.
How do I pay from Bamako?
With Wave or Orange Money at +221 77 596 93 33: 50,000 FCFA, access activated within 24 working hours. Access is non-refundable once activated, so try the free module 1 first.
What comes after this level?
Level 3, Practical Excel, for tables, formulas and analysis. The full five-level track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000.
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Take the next step. Enroll in Professional Word: CVs, reports and documents that inspire confidence: 10 h, 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR), a numbered Kolonell Academy certificate verifiable online, lifetime access, 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.
