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It's easy to dismiss celebrities with "causes." We live in a world where people are famous for outrageous behavior, having an arrest record or being born into the right families. And then there's Shakira, a tireless humanitarian who by the age of 38 has already amassed an impressive record of philanthropy. Here's a brief rundown on the good works that Shakira has shepherded through her Foundation, Pies Descalzos:
In 1997, Shakira created the Pies Descalzos Foundation after her first international success because of the concerned about the living conditions of children in vulnerable situations. In 2003, Shakira was named Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF By 2004, the Foundation began working with educational institutions called Las Americas and Siete de Abril, in Barranquilla, where 1,565 children started to receive the benefits of a nutritional program with personalized follow up and psychosocial support.
By 2006, the Foundation extended its program to include 3,610 children and youth with a priority on literacy and mathematics. As an initiative to build a new school in Barranquilla, Shakira gave a concert in the city in December and started the campaign called "Donate a Brick for $15,000," reaching a...