Shakira’s Barefoot Foundation Transforms Education in Cartagena with Model Public School

Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira founded the Fundación Pies Descalzos—or the Barefoot Foundation—to ensure that children in vulnerable communities across Colombia have access to quality public education. Inspired by her own upbringing and the themes of her album Pies Descalzos, the foundation was born out of a desire to address the systemic inequality that limits opportunities for children affected by poverty and displacement. Over the years, with support from private donors, government alliances, and Shakira’s own contributions, the foundation has built 19 schools, impacted more than 224,000 children, trained 12,000+ teachers, and supported hundreds of schools throughout the country.

One of the foundation’s most significant projects is the Pies Descalzos School in Cartagena de Indias, located on Lomas del Peyé. Inaugurated on February 24, 2014, this school serves approximately 1,700 students and plays a crucial role for more than 34,000 community residents in the surrounding neighborhoods identified as Barrios Unidos. It’s the 19th educational institution opened by the foundation.

Spanning roughly 6,272 m², the school includes 26 classrooms for elementary and middle school, four preschool classrooms, a library, technology classroom, two science labs, a kitchen and dining hall, a multipurpose room, administrative areas, and sports facilities—all built with inclusive design to accommodate students with reduced mobility. The architecture, by El Equipo Mazzanti under Giancarlo Mazzanti, is intentionally symbolic: a series of three interconnected hexagonal structures with central courtyards that create micro‑climates, encourage interaction, and foster a strong sense of belonging for local residents. The building aims to serve as an urban landmark and a point of community pride in a neighborhood long plagued by marginalization and neglect.

The Carta­gena school’s construction was back­ed by multiple partners, including the Ministry of Education of Colombia, the Educational Infrastructure Financing Fund (FFIE), the Mayor’s Office of Cartagena, and the Santo Domingo Foundation. The tourism operator Costa Crociere Foundation also supported the project, symbolically shipping the inaugural brick aboard one of its ships from Barcelona to Cartagena, collecting messages of goodwill from crew and passengers along the way.

The Cartagena school embodies the Barefoot Foundation’s model of holistic education: students receive not only academic learning but also school meals, psychosocial support, parental and community training, and after‑school support programs like Centro Aprende to boost retention and learning outcomes. This comprehensive approach targets not just schooling, but also the broader well‑being of children and their families.

Shakira has emphasized education as a powerful tool to transform lives. In interviews, she’s described founding the foundation after witnessing destitution in Colombian cities, and has said she “firmly believes that education is a fundamental right and a powerful tool to transform lives and communities”. She remains personally engaged, visiting schools, interacting with students and staff, and guiding the foundation’s development.

Today, the Cartagena school stands as a beacon of what investment in quality public infrastructure can achieve: a safe, well‑resourced, inclusive space for learning; a catalyst for community dignity and empowerment; and a testament to the transformative potential of education—and one of the most enduring legacies of Shakira’s philanthropic vision.