A Thousand Hills to Heaven

August 26, 2013
Part memoir, part history lesson, part discourse on how to make a public health project work using business standards, the story of Ruxin's life in Rwanda is riveting and inspirational. Although the author denies that the book is "about genocide," it is indeed imbued with the stories of the "the unspeakably dark times" in this African country's history. When Ruxin, a Fulbright scholar and public health activist, and his wife arrived in Rwanda in 2005, his mission was to create health facilities that worked, addressing the problems of AIDS, malaria, TB, and widespread malnourishment. The newlywed Manhattan couple said "a huge good-bye to everything ," procuring one-way airfare and a home directly across from the infamous Hotel Rwanda. In time, Ruxin (now on the faculty at Columbia University) received approval from the Rwandan government to pursue his Millennium Village Project. The bad news was that the area they ended up in was Mayange, a five-village cluster of dust and despair, lacking in any sense of community. The couple soon opened a restaurant called Heaven. Ruxin recounts how he and a top-notch team of health experts, organizers, agronomists, and others turned Mayange into a productive model that was eventually replicated in other locations. He also details the parallel development of a restaurant called Heaven, which was the brainchild of his wife, Alissa, who is also trained in public health. From the depths of destruction to "Heaven," Ruxin chronicles the regeneration of this remarkable country, ultimately revealing the healing power of forgiveness and hope.

September 15, 2013
The upbeat story of an American couple raising their three children in Rwanda and making a huge difference in the lives of thousands. Ruxin (Public Health/Columbia Univ.), an adviser to government and business leaders on business strategy and economic development before becoming director of the Millennium Villages Project in Rwanda, narrates with assurance and gusto. The author includes horror stories of the 1994 genocide, but this account is essentially a positive one about how to succeed in ending poverty in the developing world. Ruxin has five rules: 1) feed starving people, since hungry people cannot do what needs to be done to move forward; 2) demand high standards where they improve performance, and upgrade institutions that benefit people; 3) do not attempt development in hopelessly corrupt countries; 4) do not start any project that won't be sustainable after you leave; 5) trust the market to be the biggest player. In the author's experience, the profit model can carry the heaviest load for long-term development. While he was busy bringing health care and sustainable farming techniques to the Millennium Village, his wife launched Heaven, an upscale restaurant in Kigali, recruiting and training Rwandans to prepare and serve gourmet meals using local products. There were setbacks in both projects, and Ruxin does not hesitate to describe many of them. He gives credit to talented, hardworking Rwandans, experienced international experts and generous American donors. A staunch proponent of applying strict management standards and demanding measurable results, Ruxin makes a strong case for this position. For those seeking to sample Rwandan cuisine, an appendix offers some intriguing recipes from Heaven's bar and kitchen. A personal adventure tale with a serious message for those concerned with eradicating poverty.

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