From Haiti to Rwanda, Paul Farmer Moves Mountains

Paul E. Farmer, Presley professor of social medicine at Harvard Medical School, made the front page of the Boston Sunday Globe this week with his work in providing healthcare in rural Rwanda...

Paul E. Farmer, Presley professor of social medicine at Harvard Medical School, made the front page of the Boston Sunday Globe this week with his work in providing healthcare in rural Rwanda.

Farmer launched the nonprofit Partners in Health 20 years ago in Haiti; the organization has since expanded to eight other countries. Farmer and his wife, Didi Bertrand, have made Rwanda their home base; Farmer recently obtained citizenship there and joined the Rwandan Medical Society.

Two decades into his humanitarian work, Farmer seems to be charging full steam ahead. He tells the Globe: "I go to bed worrying about all the promises we've made, and I get up each morning thinking we haven't made enough promises."

That story is here; for more on Farmer's work, read an excerpt from Mountains Beyond Mountains, a book by journalist Tracy Kidder ’67, from the Harvard Magazine archives.

You might also like

Former ICC Prosecutor Discusses Iran, Ukraine, and Venezuela

At a Harvard event, Luis Moreno-Ocampo explains why war crimes are hard to define and prosecute. 

Antony Blinken Says U.S. Goal in Gaza Was to Protect People

At Harvard’s Institute of Politics, the former secretary of state reflects on his tenure, Iran, and the future. 

Five Questions with Matthew Bunn

The last treaty limiting nuclear arms buildup between Russia and the U.S. expires February 5. What’s next?

Most popular

Harvard Discloses Top Administrator and Investment Manager Compensation

Investment pay drops—top six managers’ earnings total a little more than $25 million

Harvard Answers Government Admissions Lawsuit

In a separate case, the Trump administration outlines its argument for the federal funding freeze. 

At Harvard, Mitt Romney Warns Against ‘Authoritarian’ Presidential Power

The former senator touched on polarization, tech governance, and diplomacy during a conversation at the Institute of Politics.

Explore More From Current Issue

Brick archway with a sandy base, surrounded by wooden planks and boxes in a dim space.

How the American Revolution Freed a Future Abolitionist

Darby Vassall, an enslaved child freed after the Battle of Bunker Hill, dedicated his life to fighting for liberty.

Three joyful graduates in caps and gowns celebrate together outdoors.

Commencement Week Events

Harvard Commencement Events 2026

Historical scene in colonial Boston depicting British soldiers confronting civilians, with smoke rising, in a city street.

Houghton Library Displays Revolution-era News and Propaganda

A new exhibit reveals how early Americans learned about the war.