In Colombia, a school can mean more than a place to attend lessons. For families living in neighbourhoods where public services and safe facilities have been limited, the condition of a classroom can shape a child’s daily life. Shakira began directing her attention towards education early in her music career, establishing a charitable foundation in 1997, when she was 20. The work eventually extended beyond individual donations to the construction of schools in communities where children had few suitable places to learn. Nearly three decades later, her education initiative remains part of her public work, with the wider school-building effort associated with hundreds of educational facilities and thousands of students across Colombia.
Shakira’s education mission began with a foundation for Colombia’s underserved children
Shakira’s involvement in education dates back to 1997, when she established the Pies Descalzos Foundation (Barefoot Foundation). Born in Barranquilla on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, the singer was still in the early stages of her rise to international fame. Her charitable work developed alongside her music career, with a particular emphasis on children who faced barriers to education.The foundation’s approach has included building schools and supporting educational opportunities in underserved communities. Rather than concentrating solely on financial assistance, its projects have sought to provide facilities where children can study and take part in activities beyond the classroom. In an interview with America’s Quarterly, Shakira said, “The goal of my philanthropic work has always been to make sure that every child has a chance to live up to his or her potential. That means our work won’t be done until every child has access to quality education from early childhood to adulthood.”
The $10 million school Shakira helped bring to a Colombian community
As reported by SBSNews, one example of the foundation’s work came in March 2014, when Shakira travelled to Lomas de Peyé, a low-income neighbourhood in Cartagena, to open a newly built school. The visit brought attention to the conditions in which local children had previously studied and to the role a purpose-built facility could play in the area.Reportedly, the school covered approximately 8,000 square metres and was reported to have cost around $10 million. Funding came from a combination of local and international donors, alongside money from Shakira herself. Its facilities included a football pitch and classrooms designed to accommodate about 1,700 students.The previous school building had raised concerns about safety, particularly during strong winds coming in from the Caribbean. The new brick structure offered a more substantial setting for lessons and provided facilities for activities outside the regular school day.At the opening, Patricia Sierra, then director of the foundation, described the project as a community centre as well as a school. The ambition was to make the grounds available for informal learning, sport, arts and gatherings, potentially reaching around 5,000 people through these wider programmes, as reported by World Economic Forum (WEF).
From an early commitment to a wider network
By the time of the 2014 inauguration, the Cartagena school was described by the Australian Associated Press report published by SBS News as the sixth school built by Shakira’s foundation in Colombia. The Pies Descalzos Foundation reports supporting more than 300 public schools across Colombia, benefiting over 282,160 children and young people. However, that figure does not mean the charity built 300 schools from the ground up. Its official website separately records 22 schools built or renovated in Colombia, distinguishing its construction work from its broader support for existing public schools.The programme also reflects the way Shakira has used her public profile to support causes outside the entertainment industry.
Education remains central to Shakira’s charitable work
At the Cartagena opening, Shakira argued that education should be treated as a right rather than a privilege. Her remarks placed the responsibility for children’s education not only on charities and individual donors but also on the state.Shakira’s foundation began its work when she was 20, before the singer had reached the height of her international commercial success. Its subsequent school projects have made education a long-running part of her philanthropic activities in Colombia.Nearly three decades after Shakira established the Pies Descalzos Foundation in 1997, the organisation continues to support education in underserved Colombian communities.
