Matt Damon on "Breaking through to a Water-secure Planet "- SDG Media Zone | United Nations

Summary

In this insightful discussion from the UN 2023 Water Conference, Melissa Fleming speaks with Matt Damon and Gary White, co-founders of Water.org, about the global water crisis. They highlight the staggering number of people lacking access to clean water and sanitation, emphasizing the profound impacts on health, education, and economic opportunity. The conversation explores innovative solutions like microfinance for water access, empowering communities and fostering sustainable change. With a hopeful message, the duo discusses how scaling such efforts could provide clean water to millions, ultimately unlocking untapped potential and improving lives worldwide.

Takeaways

• 😀 Water is essential for survival, yet millions still lack access to clean water and sanitation, a challenge the UN Water Conference seeks to address.
• 😀 Water.org, co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White, works to provide safe and accessible water and sanitation to those in need.
• 😀 Matt Damon was inspired to get involved with water issues after realizing the crucial role water plays in tackling poverty, health, and education, especially for women and girls.
• 😀 Gary White's background in engineering and microfinance led to innovative solutions for water access, particularly through financing and microloans.
• 😀 The lack of clean water often disproportionately affects women and girls, keeping them out of school and contributing to economic inequality.
• 😀 Water.org’s solution, WaterCredit, provides microloans to communities, allowing them to invest in water infrastructure like boreholes and piped systems.
• 😀 WaterCredit has reached over 53 million people and generated over $4.2 billion in microloans, demonstrating the power of market-driven solutions.
• 😀 Successful water access projects focus on empowering local communities, ensuring they are involved in identifying and choosing solutions rather than imposing them.
• 😀 Access to clean water not only improves health but also empowers people to pursue opportunities like education, economic growth, and entrepreneurship.
• 😀 Matt Damon and Gary White emphasize the importance of tapping into private sector investments to complement philanthropy and achieve sustainable water solutions worldwide.

Q & A

Why is water such an important issue, according to Matt Damon?

Water is crucial because it underpins many aspects of life, including health, education, and economic opportunities. Lack of access to clean water leads to preventable deaths and restricts people's potential, particularly affecting women and girls who bear the burden of water collection.

How did Matt Damon get involved in water-related activism?

Matt Damon became involved after learning about the deep connections between water scarcity and extreme poverty. He was particularly shocked by how water affects many global issues, such as health, education, and gender inequality, which led him to co-found water.org.

What was Gary White's motivation for working in the water sector?

Gary White was driven by the inequality of water access, where millions of people still lacked safe water. He saw that solutions were available and realized the importance of financing as a key factor in providing water access to impoverished communities.

What is water.org's innovative solution to providing access to water?

Water.org created the 'WaterCredit' program, which offers small loans to communities to fund water and sanitation infrastructure. This program helps people pay for water access while empowering them to build sustainable solutions.

How does WaterCredit work, and why is it effective?

WaterCredit works by providing small loans to individuals or communities to install water systems, such as boreholes or pumps. This model is effective because it allows people to pay for their water solutions over time, creating long-term access and enabling them to focus on income-generating activities.

What is the significance of the 700 million people lacking water access?

The 700 million people without access to clean water represent a huge global inequality. Despite technological advancements, many regions still struggle to provide basic water services, which exacerbates health and economic challenges.

How does financing play a role in water access, according to Gary White?

Financing is critical because it allows water solutions to be scaled in underfunded areas. By creating sustainable loan programs like WaterCredit, water.org has enabled people to access water infrastructure without relying solely on donations or aid.

What success has water.org achieved in reaching people with clean water?

Water.org has reached 53 million people with clean water through its WaterCredit program. The program has allowed individuals to access loans for water infrastructure, resulting in over 11 million loans and a significant reduction in the cost of providing water.

How has access to water improved people's lives, according to Gary White's example of Mama Florence?

Mama Florence in Uganda used a small loan from water.org to install a water pump on her land, which allowed her to grow vegetables, raise pigs, and build rental rooms. This story highlights how access to water enables economic growth and empowerment, particularly for women.

What is the future goal for water.org in terms of reaching people?

Water.org aims to reach 100 million people through its Water and Climate Fund, which is focused on scaling up innovative financing solutions like WaterCredit. The goal is to partner with governments, private sectors, and philanthropies to overcome the barriers to water access.