pih

This past weekend we went out to the Partners in Health hospital in the Eastern Province of Rwanda, to support them as they celebrated one year of providing life-saving medication.

If you are ever feeling jaded and thinking that no one is doing anything good in the world, that foreign aid is too political, and that the entire international development industry is just flushing money down the toilet, you need to get to know Partners in Health. 'Cause they just plain rock.

In one year they've taken a nearly abandoned site off a dirt road in one of the poorest places in the world and turned it into the best hospital in the country. People come from Tanzania for care. I've decided next time I get sick I'm just going to drive the 2.5 hours out there for treatment. Their fundamental belief is that people shouldn't get inferior medical care just because they're poor. That you shouldn't be satisfied with crappy work just because your patients aren't used to anything better. Imagine that.

Not to mention the fact that they're really fun people. You should see them do the cow dance.

Check out the book Mountains Beyond Mountains for the full story. It'll inspire you.