Hello, Lykkers! Most eighteen-year-olds are figuring out their path. Shakira was already building one—not just for herself, but for thousands of children in her home country. At an age when many are focused on exams and friendships, she founded an organization that would go on to transform education for some of Colombia's most vulnerable communities.

A Foundation Born From Personal Experience

Shakira grew up in Barranquilla, Colombia, witnessing firsthand the stark divide between those with access to education and those without.

Her foundation's name, Pies Descalzos, means "bare feet" in Spanish—a nod to the children she saw walking without shoes, unable to afford the basics needed for school. She created the foundation in 1997 when she was just 18 years old. The mission was simple but ambitious: promote quality public education for children living in vulnerable situations across Colombia. It was not a celebrity vanity project. It was a serious commitment that would grow over decades.

From One School to Hundreds of Communities

The foundation started small, but its impact expanded steadily. It focused on regions hit hardest by displacement and poverty, including Quibdó on the Pacific coast, Altos de Cazucá near Bogotá, and Barranquilla on the Caribbean coast.

In these areas, Pies Descalzos schools provide more than classrooms. They offer balanced meals, uniforms, school supplies, and emotional support. After-school activities give children a safe place to grow beyond academics. The approach recognizes that education works best when basic needs are met.

A Historic School in Cartagena

One of the foundation's most significant projects came in 2014 with the opening of the Institución Educativa Lomas del Peyé in Cartagena. Shakira donated nearly four million dollars toward the construction, covering almost half of the total eight-million-dollar budget.

The school was designed to serve 1,700 students and includes 55 functional spaces—classrooms, a library, a dining hall, and sports facilities. It was built to function as a community hub, not just a place for lessons. During construction, the project generated between 350 and 400 direct jobs, with sixty percent going to residents of nearby neighborhoods.

More than a decade later, the school continues to serve over a thousand children each year.

Expanding Reach and Measuring Impact

By 2023, the foundation had aided over 150,000 underprivileged students. Its programs have reached more than 300 schools across Colombia, impacting over 224,000 children and young people since 2003.

One key initiative, "Todos al Cole," focuses on finding children who are not enrolled in school and helping them access education. The program also supports teachers and works with families to keep students in class. To date, it has impacted over 60,000 students and trained more than 1,700 teachers.

A Life-Long Commitment

Shakira's dedication to this work has not wavered. When a devastating earthquake struck the Chocó region in 2026, she visited Quibdó personally to announce rebuilding efforts. Her foundation committed to reconstructing ten schools and restoring the region's only university.

She has been recognized for her philanthropy, including receiving the Agent of Change award at Premios Juventud in 2023. But the real measure of her impact is visible in classrooms across Colombia—children learning, eating, and dreaming of better futures.

Final Thoughts

Shakira could have simply enjoyed her success and never looked back. Instead, she chose to build something lasting for children who needed it most. At eighteen, she made a decision that would shape thousands of lives. Decades later, that decision continues to pay off in classrooms, communities, and futures that might otherwise have been lost.