A U.S. non-profit nominated Shakira for a ‘Do Something’ award Thursday, which recognizes celebrities' philanthropic work. Fellow singers Adam Lambert, Will.i.am, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and the British-Irish boy band, One Direction, are competing with Shakira in the Music Artist category.
With an estimated net wealth of $140 million and the ability to attract global attention, the Colombian megastar has devoted significant resources to charity. In the late 1990s, Shakira created the Barefoot Foundation and its Colombian partner, the Pies Descalzos Foundation, non-profit organizations whose mission is to make education universally available to every child. The Pies Descalzos Foundation currently provides support to six schools in Colombia.
A Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) since 2003, Shakira has also used her high-profile to promote better access to education. At the time of her appointment, the then-Executive Director of UNICEF, Carol Bellamy, remarked, “Shakira(...) was chosen based on her compassion, her involvement in global issues, her deep commitment to helping children, and her appeal to young people around the world.”
Do Something is an NGO founded in 1993 focused on inspiring young people to social change. The awards ceremony will take place August 21 in Santa Monica, California. VH1 has promoted the awards since 2006.