Shakira To Lobby South American Leaders For Children's Health & Education 10/30/08

Pop superstar Shakira will take her fight for funds to improve children's health and education in Latin America to the continent's leaders at a political summit in El Salvador this week (ends31Oct08).

The Hips Don't Lie singer has her own successful charitable foundation in her native Colombia, Pies Descalzos, to help the nation's poorest children. She also recently launched the organization Fundacion ALAS (Latin America in Solidarity Action).

But she wants South American heads of state to do more, and will lobby Ibero-American leaders to start a regional project to pump money into the two areas of greatest need. She says, "There are difficult times coming in Latin America. Thousands and thousands of children will die if governments do not organize ways to distribute food during this crisis."

"I grew up in the developing world and I have witnessed the lack of opportunities that children have to live with. In a country like mine, when a child is born poor, people die poor. But I'm fascinated by the fact that through education you can transform lives, you can end this cycle of poverty."

And Shakira has vowed to continue in her charity efforts for as long as possible. She adds, "My heart is committed to this cause and it has been there for a long time, since I was 18. I like to think that I can use my public profile to bring attention to more important issues than my own."