Water.org Working Toward Global Access to Safe Water

H2O Africa and WaterPartners merge to deliver on safe water promise for those in
need
NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
Today Matt Damon, H2O Africa co-founder, and Gary White, WaterPartners executive
director and co-founder, announced that they have joined forces to co-found a
new organization - Water.org - a non-profit focused on bringing access to safe
water and sanitation to the developing world. Water.org will leverage grassroots
awareness-building expertise and nearly two decades of demonstrated innovation
and success in the sector to help the nearly 890 million people without safe
water and the more than 2.5 billion people without safe sanitation.

Matt Damon, a long-time advocate for safe water issues, explains the importance
of launching Water.org, "Every 15 seconds, a child in the developing world dies
from water-related disease. After visiting project sites in Africa and Asia with
Gary, I`ve seen the problem and the impact of safe water." Damon said, "As a
clear leader in the sector at delivering innovative and sustainable solutions
for those in need, WaterPartners was the natural choice with whom to work to
truly affect lasting change."

Gary White sees a bright future for Water.org and the people it serves. "For
more than 20 years I've been working to realize the vision of global access to
safe water, and with the help of our donors, staff, partner organizations, and
the H2OAfrica team, I'm confident we can accelerate our impact," said White, the
Executive Director of the new organization. White, who recently received the
Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, said Water.org will set the stage for
even broader impact in the sector. "It will open the door to advocacy work, and
bring the water issue to new heights in the public`s consciousness."

The merger will improve efficiencies, leverage expertise, and increase the
overall social return on donations. Water.org will be an integrated advocacy and
fundraising destination for safe water and sanitation issues. Through its
partners worldwide, it will champion innovative business models, local partner
development, project selection and oversight, program management, and
post-development monitoring and evaluation. Later this year, the organization
will launch an entirely new online experience that will bring unprecedented
transparency and connectedness between donors and those in need.

About Water.org

Water.org is a non-profit organization whose founders have transformed hundreds
of communities in Africa, South Asia and Latin America by providing access to
safe water and sanitation. Founded by Matt Damon and Gary White, Water.org works
with local partners to deliver innovative solutions for long-term success. Its
microfinance-based WaterCredit Initiative is pioneering sustainable giving in
the sector. Water.org`s life-saving work is made possible by the support of its
donors, including the Open Square Foundation, PepsiCo Foundation, ONEXONE, the
Skoll Foundation, and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. To learn more, visit
www.water.org.

Water.org, WaterPartners, H2OAfrica and WaterCredit Initiative are trademarks of
Water.org, Incorporated.

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Sunshine Sachs & Associates
Lainie Rosenthal, 212-691-2800
rosenthal@sunshinesachs.com
or
Heather Lylis, 212-691-2800
lylis@sunshinesachs.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009