Actor, Matt Damon, has opened up about a serious problem in a recent interview, an issue which he has been actively involved in addressing and making people aware of for more than 15 years. It is the known, but often overlooked, fact that millions of people in the world still don’t have access to basic, clean, drinking water.
The Joint Effort
Matt Damon’s partner in his quest to solve the problem of water is Gary White. Professional engineer, White, has been working for decades to give access to clean water to the people who need it most. Both Damon and White started their own NGOs focusing on providing drinking water access to the needy sections of the developing world. In 2008, they met each other at a Clinton Foundation event. and decided to work together, combining their respective groups into a collaborative NGO named ‘Water.org.’ This organization distributes loans to help needy people install toilets or faucets in their homes. Till now, the organization has helped around 43 million people all across the world.
The Frustration
Matt Damon also revealed that, over the years, he and his partner have faced the occasional difficulty in trying to make the people of their circles aware and care about the global crisis, especially when it’s happening a world away. Damon also revealed his observation that people respond only to ideas that are feasible and produce results. That’s why their idea of small cluster loans to facilitate water access seems very right for them as one of the ways to break through the obstacles. They have been trying to engage people in this endeavor and secure more funds for the loans by proving this particular model of action. The actor seriously hopes that it will soon start to have the effect of pushing a snowball down the mountain with better awareness and participation.