Actor Matt Damon has called for politicians to increase aid to Africa, explaining that he had seen the direct benefits of "American taxpayer money".

Matt Damon calls for politicians to increase aid to Africa

"I realized that because of President Bush's malaria initiative, this baby had survived. American taxpayer money saved this baby's life," he told Conde Nast Traveler.

"When you go to a country and see your fellow Americans feeding people or getting clean water or saving their lives, you are really seeing the best of us.

"We are exporting the best of who we are - and who we should be."
"I think many of our problems as a country would be solved if people had thick passports.

"There's just no substitute for actually going and seeing things."

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