Kate Caroline features Shakira as part of the Worldette Heroine series for her successes and philanthropic work around the world.
Shakira is one of the most internationally recognized musicians. She has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide. She has broken numerous records with her songs.
She won 2 Grammy Awards and 8 Latin Grammy Awards, and has been nominated for over 50 different accolades in various categories. In 2008, she was listed by Forbes as the fourth highest-earning woman in music.
But perhaps even more noteworthy than all of these statistics is the compassionate and philanthropic side to Shakira, and what truly makes her a Worldette heroine.
READ MORE: Worldette Heroine: Isabel Martinez de Perón
Born in Barranquilla, Colombia in 1977 where she spent most of her childhood, Shakira did not have immediate success as a singer and performer and her first album, Magia, sold only 1,200 copies.
However, she kept working, organizing and producing much of her music on her own, and slowly gained recognition and success.
Philanthropic projects
Listed as one of Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women, she has used her position of power for philanthropic projects, focusing particularly on education.
In 1995, when she was only 18, Shakira started the Pies Descalzos Foundation in her hometown of Barranquilla, and its US counterpart, the Barefoot Foundation (www.barefootfoundation.com). The mission of these non-profits to improve education and health of all children around the world.
Shakira is one of many Latin American artists and business people to be part of the ALAS Foundation (www.alasthemovement.org), which works to stop the cycle of poverty through education policies in Latin American countries.
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Goodwill Ambassador
In 2011, US President Barack Obama appointed Shakira to be part of the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, an organization dedicated to improving the educational success of Hispanic students in the US.
Shakira is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, yet another organization committed to increasing children’s access to education around the globe.
In addition to all this, Shakira also performs various benefit concerts and hosts charity events to help raise money to support the causes she cares about.
Shakira is a celebrity who uses her limelight to do good. She not only gives money, she takes initiative and helps make the world a better place. She is an inspirational role model for girls and women everywhere.
What do you love about Shakira? Do you know any other leading women we should feature in our Worldette Heroine series? Let us know in the comments below!
