Matt Damon on Water Access and the Role of Women | TIME

Alongside his work on-screen, Academy Award-winner Matt Damon has committed the last 20 years to improving people’s access to clean, safe drinking water and sanitation through Water.org, which he co-founded alongside sanitation expert Gary White.

Speaking at the TIME100 Davos Dinner, Damon noted that roughly 2 billion people globally lack access to safe water, with 3.4 billion lacking access to adequate sanitation. “It’s a massive problem,” said Damon, who through his foundation has set up a loan program for financing water and sanitation projects with the WaterCredit Initiative.

In total, Water.org has reached 85 million people with its impact, providing loans to 15 million. “The beautiful thing is, this depends on the heroic efforts of these women,” said Damon, who explained that 90% of loans are given to women.

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