via people.com

Earlier this week, superstar Shakira took a trip home to Barranquilla, Colombia. She wasn’t just visiting family though, Shakira was busy opening a new school that her organization, The Barefoot Foundation, funded.

The school is in one of the poorest communities in the area and will focus on bilingual and arts education. The new facility will be able to serve over 1,500 students! At a press conference in Colombia on Tuesday, Shakira said “This institution is a reflection of what we want to propose…I believe society should ask its government to invest in education. A big part of why I am here is to draw attention to the issue of education.

And with all the success that this belly-dancing singer has achieved, it’s great to see her giving back to a cause that she is deeply passionate about. The Barefoot Foundation’s programs have provided assistance to over 4,000 children in rural Colombia.

Shakira says that for her, the work is a no-brainer, “All I have to do is close my eyes and I can imagine their faces; I know that each child has a name, a heart, a dream; I know that their lives are just as valuable as yours or mine.”