The purpose of Matt Damon’s visit was to gain a knowledge base of certain NGO (Gramalaya) in Trichy, who have created an indelible impression in the field of water and sanitation, by an unique concept called “WaterCredit”. Damon has heard about a unique concept called “WaterCredit” a credit scheme, through water partners international, of USA which has an office in India. This scheme allows poor people to take loan for building toilets and for acquiring individual household water connection for people below the poverty line. Moreover, Damon has also heard that this people are paying promptly the loan they had borrowed for the above mentioned purposes. This quest for pursuing good practices, and replicating them in other parts of the world, made Damon to visit Trichy, India. Nobody knew about the visit of Damon, till 8th Of July 2009. It was sunny afternoon when Damon landed at Trichy in a private aircraft

Damon had visited Viraguppettai, Kamaraj nagar ,the slums of Trichy city corporation and had a personal encounter with the beneficiaries of water credit scheme, the key things he was interested in was, how did the slum dwellers were able to pay their loans promptly? Did they never feel that it was pinching their purse? What is the impact it has made in the life of the individual beneficiaries? Etc. He was very impressed about the way, people replied to him. In the evening he had a meeting with the commissioner of the Trichy City Corporation, and also with the senior executives of Indian overseas bank and held discussions about the support of the corporation in the efforts of Gramalaya, the credit support for the WaterCredit scheme from the banks and he also lauded their efforts.

The next day he went to Kollapatti and Kothmpatti villages in Thuraiyur block, where also gramalaya was working to bring about sanitized villages. He and his brother Kyle went about and saw the toilets constructed by gramalaya and enquired the villagers, why did they not build toilets till this day, if they had thought it was so important to borrow money and construct toilets? The answer was ignorance and no awareness! Both the Damon brothers were positive and impressed work of Gramalaya and Water Partners in India.

When the Hollywood actor, Matt Damon came calling, the villagers in Kothampatti, who initially thought that he was just another foreigner, started gathering to have a glimpse of him as the word spread. However, none were as Hollywood survey as to identify him.
Just one high school student managed to recognize him in kothampatti village. “Hey ever English pada nadigar (he is an English film actor)”, he was heard saying. Nevertheless, children at a panchayat school that he visited were all smiles.

At the villages, he appeared thoroughly enthuses when given a traditional welcome with garlands. He was also presented with a shawl. As many as 500 households have built toilets in the slums under the scheme, while nearly 1000 people have built toilets in the rural areas.

Gary white, Executive Director of WaterPartners, and S. Damodaran, Country Representative explained the schemes to him. “Matt was very convinced about the project and the positive impact it has on hygiene and sanitation. He may take the project to other countries,” Geetha, Executive Director of Gramalaya said.