Anyone who works with rural community networks knows the reality: keeping equipment alive on top of a hill during thunderstorm season is tough. For years, our relay site on Latanya Hill has served as the backbone of BOSCO Uganda’s network, beaming connectivity across remote parts of the region. But when harsh weather and repeated lightning strikes took a toll on the hardware, the link suffered—and so did the community that rely on it every day.

Thanks to direct grant support and partnership from Internet Society Foundation (ISOC), our technical team was able to head back up Latanya Hill, repair the damage, and give the entire site the overhaul it desperately needed.

What We Fixed on the Ground

Getting Latanya back to full strength meant addressing both the off-grid power supply and the extreme weather conditions that batter the hilltop year-round:

• Solar & Battery Overhaul: Installed high-capacity solar panels and reliable battery storage, ensuring the site stays online through prolonged, overcast rainy spells.
• Heavy-Duty Lightning & Grounding: Replaced damaged surge protectors and rebuilt the earthing system to shield the mast and sensitive radios from severe strikes.
• Modernized Wireless Links: Upgraded long-range transceivers to higher-capacity radios, dramatically cutting latency and expanding data throughput.
• Reinforced Enclosures: Renforced outdoor gear boxes to protect critical equipment from tamper, dust, and heat.

Why Latanya Hill Matters

Latanya isn’t just a tower on a hill; it’s a lifeline for places where commercial telecom networks don’t reach or remain prohibitively expensive.

With the site upgraded, schools and local community members don’t have to travel miles into town just to access basic digital services.

“When a rural tower is down, real people lose access to vital services. Getting Latanya back online wasn’t just about replacing hardware but rather about making sure our communities aren’t left behind in the digital dark.”

— BOSCO Uganda Technical Team

Thank You

A huge thank you to Internet Society Foundation (ISOC) for believing in community-led infrastructure and funding this restoration. We also want to recognize our field technicians who carried the gear up the hill, as well as the local caretakers who safeguard the site every day.