The H2O Africa Foundation was an NGO founded by Matt Damon to raise awareness about clean water initiatives in Africa. It was part of the Running the Sahara expedition and documentary project undertaken by Damon, James Moll, LivePlanet, and the Independent Producers Alliance. In July 2009, the H2O Africa Foundation merged with WaterPartners to form Water.org, an organization co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White of WaterPartners.

History

Origins and Initial Launch

The idea for H2O Africa originated during the early planning stages of the Running the Sahara expedition and documentary. Matt Damon, along with his producing partners Marc Joubert, Larry Tanz, and Keith Quinn, envisioned the foundation as a way to tie the project to a meaningful cause. In the spring of 2006, the initiative was informally launched, and Richard Klopp was hired as the launch executive director to help shape the foundation's mission and operations.[2]

Official Announcement and Activities

The foundation was officially named H2O Africa when film financier Independent Producers Alliance (IPA) joined the project. It was formally announced on September 10, 2006, during an ONEXONE event at the Toronto International Film Festival.[3] H2O Africa served as the charitable arm of the Running the Sahara project, with the dual goal of raising awareness and funds for clean water initiatives across Africa. Key partnerships and initiatives during this time included: On May 29, 2007, H2O Africa announced a new partnership with the Ryan's Well Foundation, further expanding its reach and impact on water-related issues in Africa.[4][5]

Merger and Transition to Water.org

In July 2009, H2O Africa merged with WaterPartners, a U.S.-based organization focused on clean water and sanitation projects. This merger resulted in the formation of Water.org, co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White. The new organization leverages innovative financing tools, such as microloans, to create sustainable water and sanitation solutions for communities in need around the world.

Projects

H2O Africa was involved with the following projects:

Charitable partners