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The Worth of Water: Our Story of Chasing Solutions to the World's Greatest Challenge Hardcover – March 29, 2022

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 252 ratings

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From the founders of nonprofits Water.org & WaterEquity Gary White and Matt Damon, the incredible true story of two unlikely allies on a mission to end the global water crisis for good

On any given morning, you might wake up and shower with water, make your coffee with water, flush your toilet with water—and think nothing of it.

But around the world, more than three-quarters of a billion people can’t do any of that—because they have no clean water source near their homes. And 1.7 billion don’t have access to a toilet. This crisis affects a third of the people on the planet. It keeps kids out of school and women out of work. It traps people in extreme poverty. It spreads disease.

It’s also solvable. That conviction is what brought together movie actor Matt Damon and water expert and engineer Gary White. They spent years getting the answer wrong, then halfway right, then almost right. Over time, they and their organization, Water.org, have found an approach that works. Working with partners across East Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, they’ve helped over 40 million people access water and/or sanitation
.

In
The Worth of Water, Gary and Matt take us along on the journey—telling stories as they uncover insights, try out new ideas, and travel between the communities they serve and the halls of power where decisions get made. With humor and humility, they illuminate the challenges of launching a brand-new model with extremely high stakes: better health and greater prosperity for people allover the world.

The Worth of Water invites us to become a part of this effort—to match hope with resources, to empower families and communities, and to end the global water crisis for good. All the authors’ proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Water.org.
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From the Publisher

1 in 10 people lack access to safe water.

Water changes everything.

40 million lives changed with safe water or sanitation.

Image of woman drinking fresh water from a running spout.

Image of smiling woman holding a child.

Images of children drinking water with cups.

The Worth of Water invites us all to become a part of this effort - to match hope with resources

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A heartfelt invitation to get involved in the pursuit of clean water for everyone."
-
Kirkus Reviews

"I feel lucky to have been there for that first, fateful meeting—at the Clinton Global Initiative in 2008—between a movie star with a passion for global development and a water and sanitation engineer with years of on-the-ground expertise. More than a decade later, that unlikely pair has helped transform the lives of millions of people around the world through safe water and sanitation. Matt and Gary’s vision is clear, their strategy is smart and effective, and their faith in their fellow human beings is at the heart of everything they do. This book isn't only an exciting read, it's a rewarding and important one."
-
President Bill Clinton

"
The Worth of Water is a powerful testament to every person’s ability to overcome their own challenges. As Gary White, Matt Damon, and the organization they lead—Water.org—have shown, a small loan can have a transformative effect for families and communities living in poverty. This book tells that story—a story of empowerment, change, and, above all, hope."
-
Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace laureate 2006

“Healthy people, healthy businesses, healthy societies—all begin with ready access to clean water. This requires all of us, from CEOs to government officials to citizens, to do our part and work together. As the founders of Water.org, Matt Damon and Gary White have been showing the way—and now, thankfully, they’re sharing their story. This book, just like its authors, is brilliantly insightful, full of warmth and humor, and radiates optimism about our ability to create change on a global scale.”
-
Indra Nooyi, former chair and CEO, PepsiCo

“White and Damon share a compelling story that hits on the most important factor missing in empowering people around the globe without access to water: giving them a chance to reinvent themselves to gain new opportunities for a higher standard of living. Reinvention is typically done by outsiders fundamentally questioning the assumption bedrock of entire industries, and with water, the notion of using microfinance to fund public services was radical... until it wasn't.”
-
Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures and cofounder of Sun Microsystems

“Water is the ultimate systems challenge. It is a unique resource that underpins all drivers of inclusive and sustainable growth, and yet we are facing a global gap of 40 percent by the end of the decade. Gary White and Matt Damon have helped develop—and prove—one of the most groundbreaking ideas in decades: that people living in poverty have the capacity to solve this crisis.
The Worth of Water describes how they’ve done it—and how closing this gap requires the centrality of those who are still in need.”
-
Professor Klaus Schwab, executive chairman, World Economic Forum, and cofounder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship

“A seamless rendering of their journey of discovery, setbacks and solution finding . . . White and Damon succeeded where others have failed, at least in part because they focused on solving the water delivery problem with the community and not by parachuting in with a solution decided from afar.”
-
Associated Press

About the Author

Gary White is the cofounder and CEO of Water.org and WaterEquity. In 1991 he launched Water Partners, now the international NGO known as Water.org. Today he leads two organizations in creating and executing market-driven solutions to the global water crisis, driving innovations in the way water and sanitation projects are delivered and financed.

Matt Damon is the cofounder of Water.org and WaterEquity, as well as an actor, a producer, and a screenwriter. In 2006 he founded H20 Africa Foundation to raise awareness about water initiatives on the continent. Matt’s active participation in the work of Water.org and WaterEquity has positioned him as one of the world’s experts on water and sanitation issues.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Portfolio (March 29, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593189973
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593189979
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.16 x 0.9 x 9.28 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 252 ratings

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4.7 out of 5 stars
252 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and enjoyable. They appreciate the inspiring story and learn new facts about water.

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3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and well-written. They describe it as an exciting and inspiring read with a good story pacing.

"...thought a book about a not-for-profit would be such an exciting, enjoyable, and inspiring read. “..." Read more

"I liked reading this book because it taught me a few extra facts about water in the world...." Read more

"This story is amazing. Well told and well paced. I highly recommend. As a fact this will be the next book I choose for my book club to read" Read more

3 customers mention "Water content"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's water content. They find it informative and mention that water is life and the achievements of water.org.

"Water is life! Everyone needs it, and everyone can help provide it to the world with even a minimal contribution...." Read more

"...Amazing the achievements of water.org reaching more than 40 mio. People and scaling fast. There are so many people in need, more than 2 bio...." Read more

"I liked reading this book because it taught me a few extra facts about water in the world...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2022
    I never thought a book about a not-for-profit would be such an exciting, enjoyable, and inspiring read. “The Worth of Water: Our Story of Chasing Solutions to the World’s Greatest Challenge” is by the engineer Gary White and the actor Matt Damon. Call it “The WoW” for short. The problem is: about 10% of the world lacks access to safe water, while about 25% does not have a toilet. This limits prosperity and shortens lifespans. The book tells how the two authors separately came to see clean water and improved sanitation as the key to change in the less developed world and how they responded to that insight leading to the formation of Water dot org (Amazon review policies preclude me from using the exact name of the organization because it is also a URL).

    Each chapter is written by one of the two authors but without much repetition of the story. This provides interesting contrasts between White, the main force, and Damon, who is more like the rest of us, just trying to catch up. Throughout they give credit to the many people who are part of Water dot org and others who have been helpful in their progress. They also are witty.

    It starts with how their respective families shaped their sense of service. Damon’s mother impressed upon him the importance of listening to people in need with humility, and not trying to impose a quick fix. Later the rock star Bono gave him a nudge out the door and into service. He has not turned back (he refers to acting as his “day job”). White’s mother involved her family in local service work. Later he saw while doing service work abroad how short-lived many high-tech solutions by westerners with the best of intentions could be (think of wells with parts that fail and cannot be easily replaced).

    Water dot org was earlier known as WaterPartners since they would partner with local organizations in the developing world that knew the people and the resources and specialized in building water systems. Villagers would be involved from the start in decisions that affected them, and they were trained in maintaining and fixing the equipment. Ownership by sweat equity and purpose. Women and girls who had previously needed to walk miles to obtain clean water, then trek back with a 40 lb jerrycan balanced on their heads, now had time to devote to work, school, and even play. They prospered, some using the water to start new businesses, e.g., small farming and brick making. Such small businesses of one or a few people could receive microloans, small loans made by specialized banks to people of low income at a low rate of interest. Could such loans be made to villages for water systems that did not make an immediate product or profit? The water needs of a village did not seem to fit this model, but that did not deter the authors from asking banks to try to find a way. The connection from clean water to a small business was already made. An Indian bank gave them an opportunity to try, and with a few years of data behind them the proof of concept was in. Today Water dot org counts as investors the makers of Stella Artoir beer, the PepsiCo Foundation, and many others, private and corporate.

    The above paragraph does not communicate what the book does so well, the bold vision, the guts to challenge established ideas, the adventure of international travel, the serendipitous meetings with the right people be they rich or poor. What started with pumps and pipes was eventually left behind as many other NGOs had emerged to do those things, and Water dot org could make more progress in ending the crisis in clean water access and sanitation by attracting investors who could accept less economic return so long as it was accompanied with more social improvement, something called “impact investing”. For this they have assembled a team of experts in water markets and microfinance.

    Today Water dot org provides affordable financing to give families access to safe water and sanitation, thus giving them power. It has received the highest rating from Charity Navigator for the last 11 years. The book includes in the last chapter how this kind of development will make climate change more bearable and help people resist pandemic disease such as COVID. The book is well worth reading.
    6 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2024
    Gets to the why with path action. Appreciate learning new things from their real world journey. I will act. Highly recommend.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2023
    Water is life! Everyone needs it, and everyone can help provide it to the world with even a minimal contribution. White and Damon have traveled the world discovering the far reaching issues, figuring out how to tackle them, and gaining support from champions rich and poor. The impact of their work may never fully be known, but what IS known is that millions of lives have been transformed already! These men have shared in writing this book, and it is easy to read and understand. It is clear early on that Matt Damon is not just paying lip service to this cause because of his celebrity status. He has boots-on-the-ground sweat-equity in this cause, as does Gary White. I highly recommend this book to see how one big idea can transform the world - and how YOU can be part of it!
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2022
    Wonderful to read about the journey of Gary White and Matt Damon over many decades and how they combine efforts. Amazing the achievements of water.org reaching more than 40 mio. People and scaling fast. There are so many people in need, more than 2 bio. Lacking adequate sanitation. Congratulations Gary and Matt, let‘s grow the wave.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2022
    I liked reading this book because it taught me a few extra facts about water in the world. Hence the reason why I bought it initially: I wanted to keep learning from all sources. That's it! :)
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2022
    Lots of good information. Makes you aware of how lucky most Americans are to have running water. So many around the world need just a little help to improve their lives.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2022
    This story is amazing. Well told and well paced. I highly recommend. As a fact this will be the next book I choose for my book club to read
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2022
    This book makes me want to invest. I can't even imagine being without water and sanitation. I will
    recommend this book to everyone I know.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Tw
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Worth of water
    Reviewed in Canada on June 8, 2022
    Well written and enlightening from different POV of Matt Damon and Gary White. Helps the reader appreciate the real struggles of those who cannot just turn on a tap and have access to running water and provides a viable solution based on ownership and responsibility. I enjoyed both the humanitarian and entertainment value of this book. I recommend reading this book.
  • Ross Parkel
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very important book
    Reviewed in Spain on September 26, 2024
    Very impressive to see and support the work these two people are doing in the field of bringing water to places where it is not easily accessible. Will become more critical in coming years.
  • LIONEL
    1.0 out of 5 stars Certainly a very good book. Unfortunately, I never received it
    Reviewed in France on August 2, 2022
    Certainly a very good book.
    Unfortunately, I never received it and the RAREWAVES company only answers me by automatic messages and has never wanted to reimburse me, since June 23
  • Gaby Kramer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Water is life!
    Reviewed in Germany on April 6, 2022
    In order for any of this to happen, though, we need you. The person reading this book. Maybe it’s strange to start addressing you directly, now—like you’re watching a musical, and it’s the very last song, and suddenly they start doing audience participation. Matt Damon
  • low s j
    5.0 out of 5 stars What an amazing story!!!
    Reviewed in Singapore on January 22, 2023
    Eye opener for me….bringing clean water to 51 million last count! ..freeing them especially women and girls, walking for miles to fetch water everyday, waterborne diseases.