SOURCE OF WEALTH: Singer-Songwriter
FUNDING AREAS: Education & Youth, Humanitarian
OVERVIEW: Shakira founded the Barefoot Foundation, which seeks to ensure that every child can exercise his or her basic right to a quality education. She also founded the Colombia-based Pies Descalzos, a separate entity from Barefoot, though both organizations support the same universal education mission and work closely together.
BACKGROUND: Shakira was born in Colombia in 1977. She wrote her first song at 8 and signed her first record deal at 13. Known for such hits as, “Whenever, Wherever” and “Hips Don’t Lie,” Shakira is the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time. She has also served as a judge on the popular singing-competition show The Voice.
ISSUES:
EDUCATION & YOUTH/HUMANITARIAN: Shakira founded The Barefoot Foundation, “a US-based non-profit whose mission is to make education universally available to every child.” The foundation supports sustainable and innovative education programs while working to educate policy-makers about the importance of education.
The Barefoot Foundation presently supports six schools run by Pies Descalzos Foundation in Colombia. More than 5,000 children receive nutritious meals, education and psychological support services from these schools, benefitting some 30,000 children, their families, and community members, all who have been affected by population displacement. The foundation also works in Haiti and South Africa.
LOOKING FORWARD: Expect Shakira to remain focused on education.
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