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

Good book‼️😃

Thanks, an enjoyable read. Water 💦 is so important and how we treat our waste. Please remember you can make a difference too.

Read this

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

Must Listen

One would think that giving another something they are in need of would help solve their problem. That's not always the case and this book is a perfect example of that. Excellent work gentlemen.

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.

Well worth the read

I Learned so much, a powerful message delivered in an easy to digest format! And, this is a most important message. Both these men are hero’s!

Keep the wave flowing....

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

a story of ingenuity and adaptation!

water is life, water is essential... read this book to learn how you can make a difference too.

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.

So worth it.

Everyone should read or listen to this book. To some smart educator out there with influence, please make this required high school reading material.

This is a real effort making a difference

Listening to the authors tell their story in their own words is moving and now I know the true arch this project, movement, has taken.

I donated many years ago to Water.org and will continue to do so now that I have an even deeper understanding of the benefits.

Goes to the heart of the matter.

A life changing read

This book is informative, entertaining and always a plus when the book is narrated by the author. The book is heartbreaking yet also heartwarming! I am so pleased I took the time to listen and learn from this fantastic book, I had several chuckles listening to Matt Damon’s point of view. Thank you Gary, Matt and all at water.org for your compassion and determination in developing a better planet.