Matt Damon

The Makings of a True Hero

Actor Matt Damon at the 74nd Berlin International Film FestivalHarald Krichel via Wikimedia Commons

"A hero is a man who does what he can." - Romain Rolland. Matt Damon certainly does what he can, and for this reason, he truly makes a difference. Raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Damon attended the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, where he took drama classes. "Damon was a hard-working student who attended Rindge and Latin's most arty, and academically challenging, division, The Pilot School." (Lang) He maintained an A average, and attended Harvard University after graduating. In the spring of 2006, Matt Damon, along with Marc Joubert, Larry Tanz, and Keith Quinn formed H2O Africa with the intention to raise awareness about clean water initiatives in Africa. In July 2009, the H2O Africa Foundation merged with Gary White's WaterPartners to form Water.org. To help research the problems that prevent locals from accessing clean water in underdeveloped countries, Damon traveled around the globe, quizzing villagers in India, Zambia, and elsewhere about their daily lives. Matt Damon sacrifices time from both his personal and professional life to focus on his philanthropic work. He is selfless, truly cares for the well being of others, and is extremely passionate about his charitable work. 

Damon demonstrates selflessness when he sacrifices time and money to help bring clean water to impoverished countries around the world. He believes that everybody be able to make the same choices in their life. "Why is Water.org so important to you? Every 15 seconds, a kid is dying because he or she doesn't have access to clean water and sanitation. It's pretty staggering. In America, you can just walk over to the faucet and get a drink of water. So it's hard to wrap your brain around the notion that there are little girls who can't go to school because they're spending their days gathering water. Dehydration is a ridiculous way to die in this day and age." (Karger) Damon wanted to make sure he was making the right decision when merging H2O Africa with WaterPartners. He even took time to study the microfinance tool that WaterPartners uses to make the best decisions for his company. Damon is also incredibly modest, and respects anyone who just tries to make an honest living. He values all human life, and does whatever he can to help people in need. "Matt Damon takes time out from filming in South Africa to hear about the troubling situation in Zimbabwe. The actor made a trip to the border town of Musina, and Sister Tinotenda showed him one of the $10 billion notes issued after Zimbabwe's economic collapse." (EBSCOhost) Unlike most celebrities, Damon personally visits the people that he helps in his philanthropic work. He puts his life on hold so that he may help those who are less fortunate. He genuinely cares for the wellbeing of others, and truly makes an effort to change the world. Nobody had ever asked Damon to change the world, but he does it of his own accord. He truly cares for the good of mankind, and tries to make the world a better place. 

Matt Damon as Santa (http://www.mnn.com/sites/default/files/damon-claus-feat.jpg ())

Matt Damon is exceedingly passionate for his charity, and does whatever he can to make a difference. He truly cares about making a difference, even if it does not directly affect him. "Mr. Damon's contributions to the organization go beyond serving as celebrity spokesman, according to Fast Company. Before the merger, Mr. Damon studied Mr. White's creations, particularly WaterCredit, a microfinance tool the charity used to organize local people to run a water project and help them borrow money. The actor also researched the problems that impede access to clean water in poor countries, including quizzing local villagers in India, Zambia, and elsewhere about their daily lives." (Preston) Damon wanted to make sure he was making the right decision when merging H2O Africa with WaterPartners, and even took time to study the microfinance tool that WaterPartners uses so that he knew he was making the right choice during the merge. Damon is also incredibly humble, and traveled to India, Zambia, and other countries to ask local villagers how they go about their daily lives. He strongly believes that nobody, in this day and age, should die of dehydration or sanitary issues. "Access to water will be one of the most critical challenges of our time," actor Matt Damon says in a statement to USA TODAY. "There are a lot of ways to tackle it, but for me, ensuring that every human being has access to safe drinking water and the dignity of a toilet... is one of the most urgent and pressing causes in the world today." Damon founded a water charity, then linked up with one established by engineer Gary White to form Water.org with a transformative goal. White says, "It's not just about drilling a gazillion wells, it's about tapping into the inherent power of people at the bottom. We have to help them find their own voice and leverage their power as customers and citizens." (Grossman) Damon has a firm belief that all humans should have access to clean drinking water, no matter where they live. He forfeits much of his time and money to make sure that impoverished countries in Africa have the necessities to thrive. Not only is he a celebrity spokesman for his charity, but he directly contributes to the cause. He is extremely passionate, and devotes much of his personal time to it. 

Matt Damon uses his fame to his advantage, and promotes his charity every chance he gets, even at the expense of his own public image. Growing up in the US, Damon feels as though he has been blessed with opportunities throughout his life, and helps those falling on hard times. "Q: Let me play devil's advocate for a second, because I think a lot of people have become very skeptical and jaded about celebrities promoting causes, suspecting that it's tied into self-promotion or that it's a public display of virtue. How do you counter that? A: Well, to a certain extent you can't, because you're at the mercy of whatever coverage you get, and I don't think there's any way to convince people of what your motives are." (Johnson) He acknowledges that although his true objectives may be doubted, what's important is that he will be making a difference. He knows that nothing he does will prove his true intentions, and that he will always have supporters and skeptics. Damon admits this, and says that although there will always be skeptics, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. He selflessly uses his fame and wealth to help those around the world, even at his own expense. 

Despite his wealth, Damon never forgets where he came from and remains extraordinarily humble. His philanthropic actions are not merely a ploy for the public media, but rather the actions of somebody who believes everyone should have the same opportunities in life. Although he is one of the most famous actors in the world, Damon doesn't let the fame get to his head. His contributions to Water.org go far beyond serving as a celebrity spokesman, and he helps research the problems hinder access to clean water in underdeveloped countries. Damon holds a firm belief that there is no better way to get to know someone than going inside their house and talking to them one on one. Damon comes from humble origins in Cambridge, Massachusetts and maintained an A average at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. When he graduated, he went enrolled in Harvard University. After 2 years, Damon left Harvard to pursue an acting career. By working hard and getting a good education as a child, Damon's options were limitless, and he decided to do what he was extremely passionate about. Soon, Damon became a household name, and he decided to use this to his advantage. In 2006, he formed H2O Africa to raise awareness initiatives in Africa. In 2009, the H2O Africa Foundation merged with WaterPartners to form Water.org. He does much of the research himself, and travels around the globe to quiz local villagers on their daily lifestyle. Even though he makes millions of dollars a year, Damon is always happy to give a helping hand to those in need. He has no underlying agenda, and genuinely tries to better the world, even at the expense of tarnishing his own image. Damon genuinely tries to make a difference, and for this reason, he is a true hero. 

Works Consulted

Grossman, Cathy Lynn. "Charities Give Christmas Gift of Water." News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com. Gannet Company, 22 Dec. 2011. Web. 03 Jan. 2012. .

"Humanitarian Crisis? Send For Jason Bourne." Mx (2009): 3. Newspaper Source. Web. 14 Dec.2011.

Karger, Dave. "Checking In With... Matt Damon." Entertainment Weekly 1129 (2010): 28. MAS Ultra - School Edition. Web. 14 Dec. 2011.

"Matt Damon's Mission To Promote Clean Water." Chronicle Of Philanthropy 23.16 (2011): 19. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Dec. 2011.

"Matt Damon Talks To Brian D. Johnson About Celebrities Rescuing Africa, Harper's Betrayal, And Actors In The White House." Maclean's 120.48 (2007): 20. Middle Search Plus. Web. 14 Dec. 2011.