The Worth of Water

Our Story of Chasing Solutions to the World's Greatest Challenge

By: Gary White, Matt Damon

Narrated by: Gary White, Matt Damon

Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

From the founders of nonprofits Water.org and 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 all over 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.

©2022 Gary White and Matt Damon (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“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

"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

So insightful. An overview of the water crisis with outline of solutions that work.

If you want to understand the world’s water problem, this is a great resource. From an overview of the issues complete with statistics, to the solutions tried and which have worked. As a mother of a teen daughter who wants to dedicate her college education and career to solving this problem, this book helped me grasp the issue that is her passion and guide her towards fields of study that I hadn’t thought of, namely finance. Highly recommend.

Eye opener

A really great read very informative and interesting to all wanting to help the peoples of this world better themselves through water and its worth.

Wonderful

A nicely detailed book on just water, but finance, business development and growth, and life as a whole. Sean D. James

concise, on point and innovative solutions

I've worked in international development for over 10 years, and the worth of water rings true. The power for change is real and I love how they preserve the dignity of the people fighting the scurge of water scarcity while seeking to provide then with more affordable access to clean water. I will be re-listening to this book again soon.

Keep the wave flowing....

EVERYONE needs to understand what's in this book and to find a way to help.

Read this

This will change the way you view water and the worlds access to it. Please go donate at water.org

An honest report about a difficult but worthwhile jouney

Gary White and Matt Damon have done a great job in sharing their personal and joint journeys from thinking about the water crisis fir the first time, to leading one of the most relevant organizations dedicated to solve this deadly issue -any set-backs and mistakes included. I am very glad for the learnings and relfections which would otherwise go unknown to most of us who share the feeling of responsibility to do more in this planet, than merely exist.

Must read

Please read. So many important issues being addressed here. We all need more awareness about the water crisis and how we can help.

Giving enough…

If you are like me you wonder if you are ever giving enough. Enough to help someone, to help improve lives of people all over the world whom I will never meet but care for anyway. This book lets me believe that my small monthly donation builds on everyone else’s donations and how else can you change the world?

Interesting

IT IS SURPRISING TO ME THAT i ACTUALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK. iT IS QUICK READING AND WELL WORTH IT.

RECOMMENDATION: READ IT