Matt Damon on the Water for the World Act
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On my trip with ONE to Zambia, I walked two miles with a 14-year-old girl to a well—the closest water source to her village. I asked if she wanted to stay in her village when she grew up, and her face exploded into a huge smile. The translator said, “she is being very shy…she says that she wants to move to big city, Lusaka, and that she wants to be a nurse.”
Women and girls, like the one I met in Zambia, bear most of the burden of lack of access to clean water and adequate sanitation. Women are more than twice as likely as men to be responsible for water collection, and on average, women in the developing world walk three and a half miles each day to collect water—time that could be spent in school or at work.
Right now there’s a bill, the Durbin-Corker Water for the World Act of 2009, that will enable us to help 100 million people gain access to clean water and sanitation by 2015. But it needs at least 15 more cosponsors to move forward. Join me in signing ONE’s petition and asking your senators to cosponsor this critical legislation.
Here’s the text of the petition:
Please cosponsor the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2009 (S. 624), and help provide 100 million people with first-time, sustainable access to clean water and sanitation by 2015.
Economically, water is one of the smartest poverty-fighting investments we can make. My friend Ben and I met with the World Bank and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in Tanzania, and we saw how a lack of good water infrastructure is holding back businesses. We talked to Prosper Mbarewoai of Allied Chemicals, who estimated his detergent-production business is operating at only 60% capacity because he spends anywhere from two hours to an entire day just getting water.
The MCC in Tanzania is working to revamp the water treatment and supply infrastructure in two major cities, decreasing the risks of water-borne illness and enabling business productivity. In fact, every $1 spent on water and sanitation generates a return of $8 in saved time, increased productivity and reduced health costs in Africa.
Improving access to clean water and sanitation is also an investment in women, making possible the dreams of young girls in Zambia and beyond. To help make this change happen for her and 884 million others worldwide who live without clean water, please ask your senators to cosponsor the Water for the World Act.
-Matt Damon
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June 12, 2009 at 11:58 am
Hi,
I would like to thank you for the great work you are doing in Zambia. I am a Zambian living the US and its such great honor to have you doing all the work there.
June 12, 2009 at 2:01 pm
As a kid, I spent about 2 1/2 years growing up in a small town in northern Cameroon. Just down the street from our house was a pump that had been installed by a well-meaning organization. When it worked, it was great, but the vast majority of the time it was broken. With no one in the town really taking responsibility for it, and parts and expertise lacking, it was rarely in working order. In contrast, we had a well in our compound that we improved upon on our arrival: we cleaned it out, dug it deeper, and reinforced the base with concrete blocks. Our method for drawing water was the simple, old-fashioned rope and bucket. When most of the wells were dry and the pump continued in disrepair, much of our neighborhood ended up coming to us for water.
The question then, is this: What is being done/would be done to ensure that once access to water is made available, it stays that way? Are the solutions simple enough to be maintained by the local populace & is there anyone there who will ensure that it is done? Not that the solution must be simple to be maintained, but it is far more likely to be maintained if it is simple. Preferably, the construction is durable enough to rarely need even simple maintenance. I think the drive to provide good water is great, but I also realize that there must be providence made for its continued availability.
June 15, 2009 at 10:31 pm
This is a huge issue that really needs to be addressed. It is truly sad that people do not have access to clean water.
There are organizations that are fighting this battle. We do not need to wait for the government, as they can be supported by individuals. Here’s a few that I’m aware of. Read about them yourselves and make your own decisions, but we can make a difference.
http://www.bloodwatermission.com/
http://www.charitywater.org/
June 18, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Matt love your movies. I feel bad about poor people but what about the people here? we have 11% unemployment here in Michigan and our town is falling apart as we ship jobs overseas. What do you have to say about sending OUR money to Africa when we need to take care of those at home. I know you are a big star and don’t have to worry about putting food on the table but many of us do and sending money over there jst does not make sense to me.
June 20, 2009 at 4:08 pm
I am working on resources to provide funds and technology for this project. The project involves a strategy I am working on, several governments and more research which will take several months at best. If we all work together water, food, and education will be the result as only a part of a much broader campaign.
Please pray for this and follow along on twitter @endrunlv
Your comments and support will be appreciated.
June 20, 2009 at 7:12 pm
There are dozens of charities, hundreds of companies , and thousands of individuals trying to work on this need for clean, fresh water world wide – - but that is still not enough. There is a need for support from foundations, need for support from denominations, and individuals. A need for all of us to contact those willing to support orangized efforts. A need to support this legislation – - to bring world health and world peace.
The Matt Damon video with this appeal shows people who have water cans and clothes and shoes and even wagons to go “dip” water out of a contaminated river in a urgan setting. Yes this is done, this is real.
Push this further to third world countries where children are scooping feces-laden water right from the ditches beside the muddy road where oxen, donkeys, and camels walk. So sad, when there is no well, but plenty of clean water just fifty feet below ground. If a well is drilled it must be done pofessionally, sealed against contamination, and tested for purity, then available to all. In many areas this can be done for $2,500 to $10,000. This is a need that can be actually solved.
What can you do to help?
June 20, 2009 at 7:58 pm
In regards to the comment by Neil Winslow : ‘There are dozens of charities, hundreds of companies , and thousands of individuals trying to work on this need for clean, fresh water world wide – - but that is still not enough.’
Absolutely! Well intentioned people and organizations in many cases are all going in different directions and the effort to find solutions are fragmented and ineffective.
There needs to be a holistic approach to the problem with all the above working together in unity for the common cause for the right reasons.
There is research on workable solutions in getting everyone on the same page and rowing in the same direction that also educates and provides the tools for the impoverished to succeed.
No one is going to be ‘the hero’ or ’savior’ and ride in to end these problems. Rather, it will be people collectively working together with a strategy that works.
‘A Mission For America’s Future’ touches on some of this check it out http://endrunlv.blogspot.com/2009/06/mission-for-americas-future.html . It is a summary and a beginning not an end all, more work is being done with structuring of partnerships and resources over the next few months as unity becomes a focus.
June 23, 2009 at 8:59 pm
This is a truly great post for a serious world issue! Matt, glad to see you are working toward helping such a worthy cause. I recently saw a map of the world which depicted how much of the world has enough usable water and it was absolutely astounding! Worse, to see how much of our world does not have access to usable, clean water…. great work, look forward to seeing more on this.
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June 29, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Missy — being unemployed in Michigan massively beats out being dehydrated and diseased in Malawi. In Michigan, you don’t ever really have to worry about going hungry — if worse comes to worst, you have food banks and soup kitchens downtown. But it won’t ever come to that for almost anybody, because you have family who would take you in and other options too, like moving out of Michigan, or taking a menial kind of job. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of people are starving to death. Do you have any idea what it’s like to starve to death? What about all those kids who are actually dying from diarrhea? How can you even compare your suffering with theirs?
Yes we have problems in the U.S. but it’s nothing compared to what others are suffering. Thanks to Matt Damon and ONE for bringing attention and hopefully more/better resources to this tragedy.
June 29, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Here’s some more thoughts on an approach http://endrunlv.blogspot.com/2009/06/water-for-world-act.html,
more importantly is everyone work together in a holistic effort.
For a good perspective on this issue, please see this movie http://www.youtube.com/home