When did Shakira start her Barefoot Foundation? ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ singer talks about her economic struggles and purpose of her charitable work

Pop star Shakira has gained fame worldwide through her music and performances. Her journey reflects challenges and a sustained commitment to making a difference. Early life struggles played a big role in shaping her perspective and driving her to help others.

The financial crisis in Shakira’s family began when she reached the age of eight. Her father’s business failed, which led to their uncertain situation that stayed with her through the years. In interviews, she mentioned one day when she came home and found their house completely empty. They had lost everything, even the furniture, because they couldn’t pay their debts.

She felt confused and sad when she asked her parents about the situation. Later, they took her to a park where she saw children surviving on the streets without shoes or any family around. The experience at the park influenced her outlook and shaped her future goals. She aimed to succeed in order to help improve conditions for children in difficult circumstances.

When did Shakira start her Barefoot Foundation?

As Shakira’s music career flourished after the success of her third album Pies Descalzos (“Bare Feet”), she ran into a promise she had made to herself as a child. In 1997, she founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation (Barefoot Foundation). The charitable organization in Colombia is concerned with providing quality education to children in impoverished and displaced communities.

The core objective of the foundation is to guarantee the right to education for every child in Colombia. Grounded in a community-driven perspective, the foundation focuses on the greatest needs of vulnerable groups. Today, the foundation runs five schools all across Colombia that educate and feed around 4,000 children.

The core objective of the foundation is to guarantee the right to education for every child in Colombia. Grounded in a community-driven perspective, the foundation focuses on the greatest needs of vulnerable groups. Today, the foundation runs five schools across Colombia that educate and feed around 4,000 children.

In 2004, its work in Barranquilla was expanded with the building of two new schools known as Escuela Las Americas and Escuela Siete de Abril. These schools opened in areas where poverty and displacement were also prevailing concerns. They now serve about 1,000 students and offer critical community services. That same year, the foundation initiated work in Soacha, an area south of Bogotá known for having one of the largest displaced populations in the country. It partnered with local schools to support an additional 1,000 children. Outside of education, the Barefoot Foundation started programs to offer healthier meals. One project involved setting up a school cafeteria program run by local moms. These efforts aim to support students’ learning and strengthen community cooperation.

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Shakira keeps teaming up with groups like Code.org and Amazon. These partnerships help the foundation reach even more people by offering computer science and digital learning to Spanish-speaking kids. With the Barefoot Foundation, Shakira works to tackle deep issues in Colombia’s education system to create lasting change.

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