"On behalf of myself and my Barefoot Foundation, I express my immense gratitude and pride to have allies and friends such as the Mayor's Office of Barranquilla, the 'la Caixa' Foundation, the FC Barcelona Foundation, and the LCI Educational Foundation to fulfill a new dream: to build a new school in Barranquilla and continue supporting children and young people in the city," Shakira.
In addition, it will be a community center that will open development spaces for fathers, mothers, guardians and other members of the community. "We have witnessed the impact that school infrastructure and education have on children and youth in Colombia and we will continue to support them through adequate learning spaces and educational projects that reinforce their skills and talents in their present and future," says Patricia Sierra, executive director of the Pies Descalzos Foundation.
The project, which began in 2018, is now a reality in the Nuevo Bosque neighborhood. The school had an investment of more than 16,000 million to build 22 regular classrooms, 4 preschool classrooms, two laboratories, art classrooms, library, dining room, kitchen and other common spaces for students and community to take advantage of.
Representatives of the partner organizations participated in the event. Xavier Bertolín, Corporate Director of Education and Marketing of the la Caixa' Foundation said that "at the "la Caixa" Foundation we promote educational transformation with the aim of improving the quality of learning and guaranteeing equity and equal opportunities for young people, especially those in the most vulnerable situations. With our support to the creation of this new school, we want to contribute to the children of Barranquilla who have grown up in needy environments to achieve a better future".
For her part, Marta Segú, general manager of the FC Barcelona Foundation mentioned the "great satisfaction for the Barça Foundation to inaugurate the Nuevo Bosque school in Barranquilla with such relevant allies with whom we share objectives and values. Education and sports are magical tools to transform the lives of children and young people, offering a future of hope for their communities".
Finally, Luis Diego Quirós, Chief Operating Officer of LCI Educationsaid that in the organization "and in LCI Education Network, we are extremely proud to be able to support Pies Descalzos and the city of Barranquilla in strengthening one of the most important social projects: the education of future generations. We firmly believe in the power of education and creative thinking to solve the problems that afflict us today and we want to be part of projects like this one that generate a change and a unique opportunity for a community that deserves it".
The activity was also attended by the community of the Nuevo Bosque neighborhood. Students, families and caregivers who live in the neighborhood and will be impacted by the construction of the educational space.
At the event, the artist and Founder of Pies Descalzos emphasized the importance of continuing to work with organizations and individuals to promote quality education in Colombia.
To date, more than 152,000 children and young people have been part of educational projects of Pies Descalzos schools. Likewise, more than 9 schools have been built, contributing to quality education in Colombia and to the development of the country to break the cycle of poverty in their lives.
The Foundation continues to believe that education is the way to build a Colombia in peace. Today, more than 80,000 meters have been built in 6 territories in the country, thanks to more than 800 allies, who make change possible in the communities where the Foundation is present.
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