Shakira helps children in Latin America

Charity EventPop singer Shakira and Nobel Prize laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez launched a foundation to fight child poverty in Latin America.

“Latin America has some devastating statistics,” said Garcia Marques. Povetry in the region causes deaths of 350,000 children under 5 years of age per annum, and 40 million minors work in the street.

The ALAS foundation, conceived about a year ago by Shakira, who also heads the Colombia-based nonprofit foundation Pies Descalzos (Barefoot) which helps the child victims of violence in that South American country. “We all have to do our part to fight against inequality,” Shakira said.

Foundation programs aim to provide health assistance to pregnant women and babies, as well as to enroll homeless children in schools. The hope is that these children will pursue doctoral degrees, mba degrees, and the likes to further research and business in Latin America.

Other musicians supporting the effort include Ruben Blades, Juanes, Ricky Martin, the rock group Mana, Aleks Syntek, David Bisbal and Alejandro Sanz.