12:50, 24 July 2026
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
Whether you danced to Dai Dai, or were wishing for Waka Waka, Shakira’s presence at the FIFA World Cup final half-time show was one to remember.
At Smiley News, we have already talked about the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, but Shakira has been no stranger to charity work.
Shakira set up her foundation The Pies Descalzos, known in English as the Barefoot Foundation, in 1997, when she was just 18 years old.
The Barefoot Foundation primarily focuses on developing and changing infrastructure so that more children have access to high quality education. The Foundation has performed pedagogical research to help them understand the most important facets of a child’s educational experience, and has committed to making those a reality for as many children as possible.
“We want the next generation of Colombians to see education as a vehicle for change to dream, build and fulfill their life projects.” says the Barefoot Foundation’s website. “With each step, we are closer to ensuring that no child is left behind, because together we are opening doors to a present and a future full of opportunities.”
The Barefoot Foundation has set up multiple schools, including Escuela Las Americas and Escuela Siete de Abril in Shakira’s hometown of Barranquilla, providing services for 990 children.
In Colombia, on average, only 4 out of 10 children attending school will graduate from school - for those attending a Pies Descalzos school, that statistic rises to 8 out of 10. This is, in part, because there are now more schools and teachers, and therefore more time and resources available per child - but also because of the Barefoot Foundation’s absolute commitment to making sure no child is left behind.
In addition, many of these schools which are located in rural areas are not equipped to educate children all the way up to the 11th grade - and 79% of these rural schools do not have access to the internet.
All of this is having an impact on the children of Colombia, imposing limits on their future, and on a childhood that should be filled with the joy and curiosity that comes with learning. That’s where Shakira, and her Pies Descalzos, come in.
The Barefoot Foundation has been responsible for setting up over 300 public schools in Colombia, as well as two in Haiti and one in Soweto. Alongside the school, with help from PepsiCo, Páramo Impacta, the Bogotá Recyclers Association (ARB), the Pies Descalzos Foundation is creating playgrounds from recycled plastic that will benefit over 1,000 children.
"At the Barefoot Foundation we believe that play is essential for children's development,” said Patricia Sierra, executive director of Pies Descalzos Foundation. “That is why the playgrounds provided by our partners become a fundamental part of their educational experience: spaces where they can laugh, bond, develop skills and grow in safe and stimulating environments.”
The Barefoot Foundation didn’t simply build schools and playgrounds and call it a day - they have trained 12,824 teachers, with 85% of them women, now able to be leaders in the classroom. Not only is this providing work for local people, it is also improving the quality of a child’s education, giving them more resources and trusted adults with whom they can thrive.
The Pies Descalzos Foundation also works with more than 1,000 families and caregivers, with 80% of them women, helping them to support the growth of students even outside the classroom, and helping them to focus on their education without obstacles from within the home.
The goal of the Pies Descalzos Foundation is to leave a mark - a footprint - on the lives of children, so that they too can grow up to follow their dreams, armed with an education, and an entourage of people who believe in them and their future.
