On Tuesday, in her role as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Shakira met with a group of adolescent girls from impoverished parts of the country to discuss the importance of educating and empowering girls to break the cycle of poverty and inequity – nationally and globally.

Shakira met the group of adolescent girls associated with the KGBV (Kasturba Gandhi Ballika vidalaya) residential educational programme in Udaipur, Rajasthan, who come from areas where the literacy level is around 5% for women and some 20% for men.

“My interaction with these adolescent girls was energizing and inspiring,” said Shakira.  “It only reminded me, once again, that girls are a precious resource of intellectual and physical ability - a resource that can help to further society. They need the chance to be educated and empowered.”

The KGBV programme addresses the need for education for the most disadvantaged girls who are marginalized and often difficult to reach.  The value of the girl child in the family is generally low, leading to boys being valued over girls – from nutritional intake to getting an education - and girls dropping out of school in order to look after the household.  In addition, the school environment is often not conducive for girls, including the lack of sanitation facilities.

Shakira called for a collective push to ensure that girls have the ability, support and availability to get a quality education.

“For too many girls, the basic human right to education is denied,” said Shakira. “Yet, educating adolescent girls and ensuring their participation in decision-making that affects them plays a significant role in enhancing their sense of self-worth.”

The meeting was part of Shakira's passionate advocacy work for global education, calling for the expansion and improvement of education, especially for the most disadvantaged children and youth.

Today 1.2 billion youth stand at the crossroads between childhood and the adult world. India is home to 20% of the world’s adolescents. With 243 million adolescents in India, about a quarter of its population are adolescents. If this group flourishes, so will communities and countries. Although progress is being made, in India almost 40% of young girls in the ages of 14 to 17 are out of school.

Here's another fascinating speech from Shakira - this time at the Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. It's well worth a watch...

Being here today is a tremendous honor for me.  I am thankful to President Obama and I am humbled that my philanthropic experience could be helpful in some measure and can be used to amplify the message and work of the President and this Commission.

Latino youth are the fastest-growing group in America, and more Latino children are living in poverty than children of any other racial or ethnic group. For a number of reasons, young Latinos in this country disproportionately drop out of school and far too few finish college.  And as I have seen in my own Foundation work, the only road out of poverty is education - of that I am convinced.

Investing in the educational achievement for Latinos will not only determine the economic future and competitiveness of this nation, but can serve as a model for the world.

I hope that through my appointment to this commission, I will be able to share what I’ve learned through the 15 years I have been involved in the education of Latino children. I am sure you will agree with me that race and ethnicity shouldn’t be factors in the success of any child.

It is my belief and its also been demonstrated that if we provide early childhood education to Latino children it would take less than a decade to reap the benefits since investment in early education is proven to generate the fastest returns to the state.

With more ECD programs there will be less Latino students being held back, less dropouts and less crime involving school-age children; and they will be more productive individuals to society.



It's proven that most Latino kids who drop out of school and perform poorly in high school didn't have access to an early childhood education and lacked essential attention, stimulation and  nutrition during the first 6 years of their lives.

Therefore, it is clear that the most powerful avenue for boosting academic achievement is improving the basic academic skills of children before kindergarten.

The Obama administration has made a point to improve Latino education and – as I spoke to the President previously – I am extremely passionate about working with the White House to plan an early childhood education summit in the coming year.

Latinos are the largest minority group in this country and as the Latino population grows, the U.S. economy becomes more and more dependent on its success. Americans must better understand the impact that the growing Latino population is having on the way we live today and on this nations future. Inevitably this country and its economic prosperity will also largely depend on our Hispanic kids.

There is no doubt that the future of the United States is inextricably tied to the future of the Latino community here and the education of its youth.

Thank you again, this is a great honor for me, I am so happy to be here.

- Shakira's Harvard speech
- Shakira's Oxford Union speech

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2011
 
President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts
 
WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:
 
· Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll – Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
· Nancy Navarro – Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
· Adrián A. Pedroza – Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
· Kent P. Scribner  – Member, President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
 
President Obama said, “I am grateful that these impressive individuals have chosen to dedicate their talents to serving the American people at this important time for our country.  I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:
 
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer.  In addition to her career in music, Ms. Mebarak Ripoll has been involved in a number of global educational efforts.  She founded the Barefoot Foundation in 1995, which operates schools and educational projects in Colombia, South Africa, and Haiti, feeding and educating approximately 6,000 children.  In 2010, she collaborated with the World Bank and the Barefoot Foundation to establish an initiative that distributes educational and developmental programs for children across Latin America.  In 2008, Ms. Mebarak Ripoll served as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education’s Global Action Week.  In 2005, she became a founding member of Latin America in Solidarity Action, a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies.  Ms. Mebarak Ripoll became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in 2003, where she promotes the expansion and improvement of comprehensive early childhood care and education across the world.
 
Nancy Navarro, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Nancy Navarro has served as a Councilmember for the County Council of Montgomery County, Maryland since 2009, where she is Chair of the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee and sits on the Health and Human Services Committee.  Previously, Ms. Navarro served on the Montgomery County Board of Education from 2004 to 2009, where she was Chair of the Board’s Communications and Public Engagement Committee, a member of the Strategic Planning Committee, and President from 2006 to 2009.  Before entering public office, Ms. Navarro co-founded a community-based non-profit that promoted the economic and educational development of Latinos and other immigrant communities.  She is the recipient of the Community Teachers Institute’s 2009 Heart of the Community Award and the Maryland State Department of Education’s 2001 Women Who Dare Leadership Award, among other recognitions.  Ms. Navarro holds a B.A. from the University of Missouri.
 
Adrián A. Pedroza, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Adrián A. Pedroza is the Executive Director of the Partnership for Community Action, a grassroots, community-based organization that works to build community leadership around issues of immigration, education reform, and public health.  Previously, Mr. Pedroza led the University of New Mexico High School Equivalency and College Assistance Migrant Programs, which provide educational opportunities to migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families.  In addition, Mr. Pedroza worked for U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman as a Constituent Services Representative in New Mexico.  Under Governor Bill Richardson, Mr. Pedroza was appointed to the inaugural Hispanic Education Advisory Council.  He is currently a founding and executive member of the New Mexico Learning Alliance and served as a founding member of the Latino/Hispano Education Improvement Task Force.  Mr. Pedroza sits on the board of the New Mexico Civic Engagement Partnership.  He holds a B.A. and an M.B.A. from the University of New Mexico.
 
Dr. Kent P. Scribner, Appointee for Member, President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
Dr. Kent P. Scribner is the Superintendent of Union High School District #210 in Phoenix, Arizona, a position he has held since 2008.  As Superintendent, Dr. Scribner oversees a school district that serves approximately 25,000 students in grades 9 to 12.  From 2003 to 2008, Dr. Scribner served as Superintendent of Isaac School District #5 in Phoenix, Arizona.  Immediately prior to that, he served as Executive Director of the Department of Human Resources at School District #3 in Tempe, Arizona.  In 2008, Dr. Scribner received the Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from the University Council of Educational Administration.  In 2005, he was appointed by then-Governor Janet Napolitano to the Arizona School District Redistricting Commission.  Dr. Scribner serves on several boards and commissions, including the Valley of the Sun United Way and the Arizona Business and Education Coalition.  Dr. Scribner holds a B.A. from Carleton College, a M.Ed. from Temple University, and a Ph.D. from Arizona State University.
 
###

On Friday, the Brazilian government together with ALAS Foundation and the Xuxa Meneghel Foundation officially launched a partnership in support of early childhood. This partnership, proposed in March of this year by the President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff and Shakira, includes action plans to increase quality of education that integrates health and nutrition for children from 0 to 6 in this country by training teachers. The event was attended by important personalities and representatives of the Brazilian government including the Minister of Human Rights Maria do Rosario, the spouse of Governor of Rio de Janeiro, Adriana Anselmo Cabral, as well as ALAS representative, Shakira and Brazilian presenter and president of the Xuxa Foundation, Xuxa Meneghel. 

We're pleased to report that Pies Descalzos Foundation and Ayuda en Acción Foundation, with the support of the Cundinamarca’s Provincial Government and Soacha’s Mayor’s office, yesterday opened the “Bosques de la Esperanza” sports field in Soacha, Colombia. The field will hold sport, recreational and academic activities.
 
The sports field has a surface area of 1744 square meters and a 700 square meter dome that “evokes a mass of trees as a symbol of nature, union and hope”, said the architect Giancarlo Mazzanti. Also, 200 additional square meters will be built for Gabriel García Marquez School.

Said Shakira of the opening: "Today, with a lot of joy, we are going to open the doors of this new sports facility - Forest Of Hopes - this is a place that will unite & bring joy to this community
I want to thank Ayuda en Acción (NGO), Soacha's mayor, Gobernor of Cundinamarca and the Pies Descalzos team for their amazing work."

For more info check the piesdescalzos.com website.

Yesterday in Miami, Florida, a union between the Pies Descalzos Foundation and the FC Barcelona Foundation was announced which will benefit more than 28,000 children and adolescents.

The launch of Soccer for Youth Development and Healthy Living was attended by Shakira and FC Barcelona superstars Piqué, Puyol & Busquets at the  University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.

Shakira, Founder of the Pies Descalzos Foundation, spotlighted the Hispanic community and declared:  “Not only do we represent the largest minority in the country, but the fastest growing; our community is in urgent need to provide all the necessary tools so that our children can develop their maximum potentials, talents, and intelligence.”  Additionally, she stated the use of sports with boys and girls reiterating her commitment by saying:  “The Hispanics in the United States have all the talent and desire; what we need now is more education and more sports to keep the ball on our side and to achieve the best play”.

Ramón Pont, Vice President of the FC Barcelona Foundation declared: “I value in the most positive light this alliance for our club.  Uniting the forces of soccer and music will assist the development of communities in dire social needs. It is a long road that is necessary, one that we will take together to succeed as far as possible”.
 
This announcement is the culmination of a cooperative agreement that was signed between the “Fundación Pies Descalzos” and the “Fundación FC Barcelona” on February 17, 2011 which includes the construction of Sports venues and recreational facilities in Cartagena, Colombia and Miami, Florida.

The projects encompassing this agreement focus principally on the desire to work jointly for vulnerable children in Colombia and the U.S. Hispanic community who are at high risk of social exclusion.

Shakira visited Cartagena, Colombia on Monday, accompanied by the philanthropist Howard Buffett and the mayor of the city Judith Pinedo to lay the first brick of what will be Foundation Pies Descalzos' new mammoth school in an area of high vulnerability and displacement in this coastal city.

The project is set to become an urban milestone, a motor of change for 1,500 boys and girls who will benefit directly and 58,000 residents of the Cerro de Popa community.