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Shakira bids farewell to Uganda's Ghetto Kids: 'Friends forever'

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Colombian singer Shakira shared an emotional farewell with the Ugandan dance group Ghetto Kids, whom she featured in her shows.
  • Shakira promised to see them again in Madrid and expressed her admiration for their talent and spirit.
  • The Ghetto Kids, a Kampala-based non-profit, use dance to support vulnerable children, offering them shelter, education, and healthcare.

Colombian superstar Shakira shared a touching moment with the Ghetto Kids, a Ugandan dance troupe that gained viral fame and performed alongside her. In an Instagram video, Shakira was seen embracing the children as they cried, reassuring them that they would meet again in Madrid and promising, “We will be friends forever.”

We will be friends forever.

— ShakiraShakira's promise to the Ghetto Kids during their farewell.

The Ghetto Kids were part of Shakira's performance at the Barclays Center in New York and also appeared with her during the halftime show of the 2026 World Cup, which was hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Their inclusion in Shakira's projects, from music videos to major global events, highlights a deep connection.

The Ghetto Kids have infected us with their joy, their love, and have inspired us profoundly with their talent to remind us that, like them, there are so many children living in oblivion, owners of enormous potential, waiting for an opportunity to offer the best of themselves.

— ShakiraShakira's reflection on the impact of the Ghetto Kids.

Shakira praised the children, stating, “The Ghetto Kids have infected us with their joy, their love, and have inspired us profoundly with their talent to remind us that, like them, there are so many children living in oblivion, owners of enormous potential, waiting for an opportunity to offer the best of themselves.” She questioned the urgency for governments, entrepreneurs, and professionals to invest in childhood, asking what it would take for all children worldwide to receive equal opportunities.

What can be more urgent for our governments, entrepreneurs, and professionals than investing in childhood? What has to happen for all children in the world to receive equal opportunities?

— ShakiraShakira's call for investment in children's welfare.

Founded in Kampala in 2014 by teacher Dauda Kavuma, the Ghetto Kids are a collective of child dancers and a non-profit organization. The project aims to shelter and support orphaned or vulnerable children in Uganda's slums, providing them with refuge, education, and medical care through dance, music, and art. They became a global phenomenon with their energetic afrobeats and urban dance routines, and have featured in international music videos and programs like Britain's Got Talent.

Thanks to the Ghetto Kids of Uganda for sowing these questions in us and for transforming our lives with their magic.

— ShakiraShakira's expression of gratitude to the Ghetto Kids.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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