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

TL;DR

Josh Ruxin shares the story of how he and his wife opened Heaven Restaurant in Rwanda, creating job opportunities and promoting poverty reduction through their sustainable business model.

Transcript

ARTUR OLIVEIRA: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you all so much for making it out. My name is Artur Oliveira. I'm on the authors at Google team. And it is my pleasure to introduce your speaker today. A lot of you might be wondering what does serving great guacamole have to do with eradicating poverty? And the thing is, I don't know. That's why we h... Read More

Key Insights

• 🔒 The Rwandan government's commitment to reducing poverty and promoting development has created a favorable environment for private investment.
• 😤 Financial sustainability and building a strong management team are crucial for long-term success in poverty reduction projects.
• 👨‍💼 Private businesses, like Heaven Restaurant, can contribute to poverty reduction by creating job opportunities and promoting local talent and products.
• ✋ Aid should be directed towards countries with strong governance and commitment to poverty reduction, rather than countries with high corruption levels.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Ruxin and his wife fund the opening of Heaven Restaurant in Rwanda?

Ruxin and his wife initially took out a second mortgage on their apartment in New York City. They also received financial support from family, friends, and investors.

Q: Did Ruxin face any backlash for opening a high-end restaurant in a country with poverty?

No, Ruxin did not face any backlash. The restaurant was well-received by both tourists and locals, and it provided job opportunities for people who had never worked before.

Q: Are there plans to hand off the management of Heaven Restaurant to the local staff?

Yes, the goal is for the restaurant to be self-sustainable and for the local staff to be able to manage it on their own. However, building a strong management team is still a work in progress.

Q: How has Heaven Restaurant contributed to poverty reduction and job creation in Rwanda?

Heaven Restaurant has created job opportunities for Rwandans who have never had a job before. It has also served as a platform for cultural events and exhibitions, showcasing the talent and products of local Rwandans.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Ruxin shares his journey of being inspired by the Ethiopian famine in the 1980s and how it led him to Rwanda.

• In Rwanda, Ruxin and his wife started working on poverty reduction by implementing progressive terracing and line planting to combat starvation.

• They opened Heaven Restaurant, which not only serves great food but also creates job opportunities for the local community and promotes financial sustainability.