Josh Ruxin: "A Thousand Hills to Heaven: Love, Hope, and a Restaurant in Rwanda" | Talks at Google

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.

Ruxin, 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.

From the depths of destruction to Heaven, Ruxin chronicles the regeneration of this remarkable country, ultimately revealing the healing power of forgiveness and hope.

A personal adventure tale with a serious message for those concerned with eradicating poverty.

You can find the book on Google Play: .