News, Press & Perspectives

ABC - Can celebrities influence environmental issues? Experts weigh in.

April 22, 2024

ABC's Julia Jacobo spoke with Co-founder Matt Damon about the scale of the water crisis and its intrinsic relationship with climate change.

ABC - Power of Water: Mexico’s water warriors

April 19, 2023

ABC News’ Linsey Davis travels to Mexico to see firsthand the silent water crisis happening around the world, and speaks with Co-founder Matt Damon about his push to get access to clean water for all.

Fortune - Climate change is exacerbating the global water crisis. Corporations must be part of the solution

March 22, 2023

771 million people around the world don't have access to safe water. 1.7 billion do not have a toilet. But there are solutions that work.

Forbes - 2024 Forbes Sustainability Leaders Summit: The Worth of Water

Oct. 11, 2024

Forbes Senior Editor Amy Feldman sits down with Matt Damon, Cofounder of Water.org & WaterEquity, and Vedika Bhandarkar, President & COO of Water.org, to discuss how they've utilized microloans to help over 69 million people get access to clean water, the impact of climate change on water access, and much more.

Impact Entrepreneur - Financial Innovations for Climate Resilience in the Water Sector

Oct. 8, 2024

Building resilience to climate change requires accessible financial solutions like microfinance. Learn more from Water.org President & COO, Vedika Bhandarkar, on how these tools help families secure safe water and sanitation in the face of climate change.

Forbes - Forbes Sustainability Leaders Summit: Fast-Tracking Climate Crisis Solutions

Sept. 30, 2024

Matt Damon, co-founder of Water.org, discusses the importance of access to safe water and how the organization has helped 69 million people through microfinance solutions. Read more from Damon and Water.org President & COO, Vedika Bhandarkar, on the relationship between climate crisis and the water crisis, shared at the 2024 Forbes Sustainability Leaders Summit.

New York Times India Ink - Clean Water and Toilets for India’s Poor

Aug. 26, 2013

NY Times Opinionator - The Real Future of Clean Water

Aug. 1, 2013

Celebrities endorse the toilet strike

May 22, 2013

Richard Branson, Olivia Wilde and Bono join Water.org Co-founder Matt Damon to protest lack of access to safe water and adequate sanitation for 2.5 billion people.

Support builds for the Strike

March 13, 2013

More and more celebrities are supporting Matt Damon in his toilet strike protesting the lack of access to safe water and adequate sanitation for billions.

Strike With Me to Raise Awareness

Feb. 12, 2013

At a press conference in Los Angeles, Water.org co-founder Matt Damon announces his strike to raise awareness for the water crisis.

Gary White honored as a 2012 Social Entrepreneur

Sept. 10, 2012

Gary White, Water.org CEO and Co-founder, has been honored by the Schwab Foundation as a 2012 Social Entrepreneur. Each year, the Foundation identifies the world’s leading social entrepreneurs from around the globe for its Social Entrepreneur award. Awardees are selected for implementing innovative and pragmatic solutions to social problems by tackling the root causes and creating social transformation.

Levi's Water<LESS Campaign

March 22, 2012

Water.org and Levi's® Launch Water<LESS™ Campaign in Honor of World Water Day

Caterpillar to support WaterCredit

Nov. 30, 2011

The Caterpillar Foundation and Water.org to expand WaterCredit in India, Indonesia to more than 200,000.

PepsiCo Foundation $8 Million Grant

Oct. 27, 2011

This grant will help enable approximately 800,000 people to access safe water by March 2016.

Water.org and The MasterCard Foundation

Nov. 3, 2010

Water.org and The MasterCard Foundation accelerate Microfinance for clean water in Africa. The $3.6 million innovative partnership will benefit communities in Kenya and Uganda.

Gary White Named Skoll Social Entrepreneur

March 16, 2009

WaterPartners executive director and co-founder, Gary White, has been selected to join the community of Skoll social entrepreneurs. The Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship carries with it an award of $765,000 for WaterPartners to help reach more people with access to clean water and sanitation through WaterPartners' WaterCredit Initiative and innovative online community-building efforts.