The Bourne Ultimatum actor - who works closely with Water.org and the ONE campaign - revealed his mother Nancy taught him to help others from a young age, just like peaceful civil rights leader Gandhi.
He told Parade magazine: When I was a boy, my mom had a magnet on the refrigerator with a little picture of Gandhi along with a quote from him. It said, No matter how insignificant what you do may seem, it is important that you do it.
As a child, I was raised to believe that, and to this day I do my best to live it.
It’s really powerful when you get to meet the people and shake their hands and listen to their stories.
The 39-year-old star - whose philanthropic work includes raising awareness about the global water crisis, extreme poverty and AIDS - is determined to ensure his children are also instilled with the desire to give something back to those less fortunate.
Matt - who raises three children, 11-year-old Alexia, Isabella, three, and 14-month-old Gia Zavala, with his wife Luciana - added: I can’t think of any more important value to instil in our children than the desire to help others.
I feel strongly about setting an example for them. Real problems can be solved by the next generation if we instil in them the right values. I’m not a politician, and I don’t want to tell anybody how to live.
But I must say, all these years later, I still think Gandhi had the right idea. No matter how small the contribution we make may seem, it’s crucial that we all do our part.
In the future, I know these trips are something we’ll do as a family.
