Barefoot Foundation ( es, Fundación Pies Descalzos) is a Colombian charity founded by pop artist

Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is n ...

in 1997, with the aim of helping poor and impoverished children. The Barefoot Foundation mission statement is "The Barefoot Foundation works to ensure that every Colombian child can exercise their right to a quality education. Our model targets displaced and vulnerable communities by addressing their unique needs." The foundation's main focus is on aid through education, and the organization has five schools across Colombia that provide education and meals for 4,000 children. On 27 April 2014

was honoured with the Hero Award at the

Radio Disney Music Awards The Radio Disney Music Awards (RDMA) were an annual awards show operated and governed by Radio Disney, an American radio network. Beginning in 2001, the show was originally broadcast only on Radio Disney, but later began being televised on Disne ...

for her Barefoot Foundation work.

2004 efforts

In 2004 the work of the Foundation turned to Shakira's hometown of Barranquilla. The Foundation built two new schools, Escuela Las Americas and Escuela Siete de Abril. The schools brought change to two neighborhoods that had been devastated by displacement, homelessness and poverty. The two Barefoot schools provided services for 990 children. That same year, 'Barefoot' initiated work in

Soacha , image_map = Colombia - Cundinamarca - Soacha.svg , map_caption = Location of Soacha in Cundinamarca , pushpin_map = Colombia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_nam ...

, Cundinamarca, a suburb on the outskirts of Bogotá. According to the Colombian Social Welfare Network,

has one of the highest rates of incoming victims of displacement. Their work began at the ''Gabriel Garcia Marquez'' and ''El Minuto'' schools in the ''Altos de Cazuca'' neighborhoods, providing opportunities for another 980 children. The year 2004 was significant for the ''Barefoot Foundation''. They reached many of the goals they had set for the Foundation, working with children whose lives were disrupted because of the

Colombian conflict The Colombian conflict ( es, link=no, Conflicto armado interno de Colombia) began on May 27, 1964, and is a low-intensity asymmetric war between the government of Colombia, far-right paramilitary groups, crime syndicates, and far-left gue ...

. Many children were given access to an education, better nutrition, and a new sense of hope. The foundation also initiated a school cafeteria that was managed totally by the neighborhood moms.

Funding

Support for the foundation comes from contributions by

and donations from national and international companies who care about social responsibility. They also work with multilateral corporations who endorse special projects and have formed alliances with government agencies. During February 2008,

auctioned some of her tour clothes and guitars on

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to support her foundation. In February 2011, the

FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football. Found ...

Foundation and ''Barefoot'' reached an agreement for children's education through sport.Serafín Hildag
El Barça llega a un acuerdo solidario con Shakira
, March 2, 2011, elmundodeportivo.es

References

External links

Barefoot Foundation
Official site

(Spanish)
Interview with Camilo Guerrero González, Fundación Pies Descalzos
School Meals and the Barefoot Foundation {{Shakira Barranquilla

Educational charities Child-related organisations in Colombia Children's rights organizations Organizations established in 1997