Code.org announced today a new partnership with Amazon and Grammy award-winning recording artist and global humanitarian Shakira, through her foundation, Fundación Pies Descalzos, to expand access to computer science education for Spanish-speaking students around the globe. This partnership leverages Shakira’s star power to raise awareness around the importance of computer science education for Spanish and Latin American students to prepare them for success in an increasingly tech-first workforce and world.
“Computer science is about more than just coding; it’s about teaching students the problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking skills that are essential in today’s digitally-driven world,” said Hadi Partovi, CEO and co-founder of Code.org. “Collaborating with Shakira to expand access to computer science education for Hispanic students worldwide is a critical part of our mission to prepare all students to thrive in the future workforce.”
Shakira has been a long-time advocate for advancing equity in education through Fundación Pies Descalzos, a non-profit organization she founded which is dedicated to addressing the educational needs of students in Colombia and across Latin America through sustainable infrastructure, teacher training, and curricular innovation. To date, the Foundation has supported more than 224,000 children of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultural traditions in Colombia providing a protective space for learning as well as serving as a transformative social engine for communities.
Shakira shared, “I’m happy to partner once again with Code.org to be part of highlighting both the importance of computer science learning and its different applications including in the world of music creation; and to contribute in helping Hispanic students gain access to a field that has gained major relevance in today’s industries and will only continue to do so.”
To celebrate the partnership, Shakira has donated use of her top Spanish-language hits including “Amarillo” and “Chantaje” in Music Lab, the popular platform from Code.org and Amazon where students can learn to code through interactive music composition featuring chart-topping hits from artists around the globe.
Thanks to a donation by Amazon’s Future Engineer program, Code.org and Fundación Pies Descalzos kicked-off the partnership with the first of a series of computer science teacher training workshops in September 2024, in Barranquilla, Colombia. A total of 25 teachers from public schools managed by Fundación Pies Descalzos in Barranquilla and Cartagena participated, impacting nearly 2,400 students across both cities.
The workshops are designed to equip teachers with the tools and pedagogy needed to introduce elementary-age students to foundational computer science concepts. Teacher trainings hosted by Code.org and Fundación Pies Descalzos will continue through 2025, starting in February with the training of an additional 100 teachers. The project seeks to enrich and enhance student skills in language, mathematics, and computer programming by improving pedagogical practices and student learning practices in the STEM sciences, thus helping close the gap in education for communities in need.
“At Amazon, we believe access to high-quality computer science education is crucial for preparing all students, especially those from underrepresented communities, to thrive in the digital economy,” said Victor Reinoso, global director of Amazon’s philanthropic education initiatives. “We’re proud to partner with Code.org, Shakira and Fundación Pies Descalzos to expand opportunities for Hispanic students to learn coding and computational thinking skills. Through this collaboration, we can help unlock the potential of the next generation of innovators and empower Hispanic youth with the tech skills needed for future success.”
In the last year, Code.org has expanded access to computer science education for 1 million students and 50,000 teachers across Spain and Latin America. In Colombia alone, Code.org has supported more than 746,000 students and 22,000 teachers since 2014 to advance the teaching and learning of computer science. Each year, students across Spain and Latin America participate in the annual Hour of Code, an initiative that introduces millions of K-12 worldwide students to coding. This year’s Hour of Code campaign, “Make the Invisible, Visible,” celebrates the many ways that coding powers everyday life.
