Hi everyone! Welcome back! We just finished our 6th week in Malawi. I am excited to share the progress we’ve made and some updates!

So this week began on Mount Mulanje! Monday was a national holiday, so Katie and I decided to go on a 2-day overnight hike with some of our friends from Kabula Lodge. It was definitely the hardest hike I have ever done, but it was also very fulfilling as we got to cold plunge in a small pond and swim in a waterfall along the way. Our legs definitely were not happy the next day, but nonetheless, it was a great experience.

During the working week, we were preparing for our presentations of our medium fidelity prototypes on Friday, which turned out to be a great success. Racheal (my Malawian partner) and I have been working tirelessly to get our app, scale, and SMS database working. Unfortunately, we are still encountering some problems with the SMS database. We were able to pinpoint the issue to the lack of a 2G network in downtown Blantyre, as one of our TAs was able to use the GSM module at his home, but it never seemed to work at MUBAS. I definitely want to nail this down as soon as possible, as it is a very important part of our project since we want to make our app and device as accessible as possible, especially in rural clinics, which require SMS. Aside from the SMS issues, the app and scale development are going smoothly. We just completed the final CAD model for our scale and will begin 3D printing. We also transferred our working circuit onto a perfboard to make it fit within the CAD model. I am excited to finalize this part of the project next week. The app is also looking much better, as we have completed a good chunk of what we had envisioned. The only thing left is, again, related to the SMS! I am very happy with our progress this week.

The best part of our week was definitely shadowing the NICU and Dr. Moses Chanza. We were able to get firsthand exposure and experience in the neonate ward and learn about the impact that NEST360 has made on QECH. We also identified areas for improvement and potential individual projects that we can work on. One such project would be a formula dispenser that adjusts the input rate according to the neonate’s weight, size, etc., as they already have a similar device for dextrose. We plan on shadowing some other areas of the hospital next week to gain more valuable field exposure!

This weekend, we also decided to take a spontaneous trip to the Zomba Plateau. It is absolutely beautiful and I wish we had longer to visit. We were able to see monkeys, walk along a beautiful river, and enjoy a nice sunset hike. The more time I spend in Malawi, the more I feel like time is running out. I would love to bring my parents or friends here someday to experience the beauty of Malawi.

I have no doubt that the next two weeks will be very busy, as we finalize our projects and try to make the most out of our last days.

Stay tuned for more!