Day 17: August 13th, 2025 Fort Portal

✨ Wednesday, August 13th ✨

Our journey took us from Mbarara → Fort Portal 🚐. Along the way, we passed through Kibale National Park, where baboons lined the roadside 🐒, and we crossed back into the Northern Hemisphere stopping at the equator landmark for a quick photo op 📸.

In Fort Portal, we visited the newly established Satellite Laboratory, welcomed by Dan, head of biomedical engineering and a longtime Ekyaalo collaborator. We shared our prototype, answered questions from eager lab technicians, and discussed next steps for implementation. 🙌

Later, the team prepared for a meeting with the Commissioner for the Ministry of Health. Despite a power outage ⚡️ and an hour delay, we improvised with hotspots and pushed forward. The meeting gave us valuable insights on scaling our project at a national level.

By evening, the power was still out at our hotel but the night turned magical. ✨ The staff lit a bonfire, and we made s’mores under the stars 🔥🍫. We even joined fellow travelers for trivia night, ending the day with laughter, connection, and community. 💡🌍