You can now download Shakira's stunning performance of The Pretenders' 'I'll Stand By You' from Friday's Hope For Haiti Now TV special, from iTunes stores worldwide. Click here to preview and/or purchase the track, alongside all the other performances from what was an amazing show.
The two hour TV special itself is also available as a video download from the US iTunes store by clicking here.
All of the proceeds raised will go towards the emergency effort in Haiti.
Prior to her performance on the Hope for Haiti Now Telethon, Shakira announced today an initiative to build a new school in Haiti through her Barefoot Foundation. The Foundation will work in partnership with Architecture for Humanity to build the school and NGO partners to provide education, school feeding, clean water and sanitation services. Foundation board member Howard Buffett, World Food Program Ambassador Against Hunger and chairman of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, will fund the school feeding component of the initiative and other related services.
“There is a great need for immediate aid in Haiti, but also for longer-term reconstruction,” said Shakira. “For that reason, we are doing our small part to help Haiti rebuild and give the children affected by this disaster the chance to learn and thrive. I hope we can use some of what we’ve learned working in Colombia to help Haiti’s children recover. When we educate children we empower societies, and right now Haiti needs all of our help.”
The Barefoot Haiti School will be modeled after the work of the Fundación Pies Descalzos, the Colombia-based Foundation Shakira founded which provides education, nutrition and psychological support to over six thousand Colombian children displaced by violence.
“School feeding will be a critically important tool to ensuring the health of Haiti’s children - and their attendance at school,” said Buffett. “Our foundation is proud to partner with Shakira on this incredibly important effort.”
The Barefoot Foundation will partner with Architecture for Humanity, a nonprofit design services firm dedicated to building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design. “It is vital to rebuild the educational infrastructure of Haiti. We urgently need to restore a sense of normalcy in these young hearts and minds and not allow this tragedy to dictate how they see their future. With this coalition of support we can build a holistic school that will inspire and encourage Haiti’s next generation of leaders” said Cameron Sinclair, executive director of Architecture for Humanity.
We are pleased to report that Shakira will participate in Friday's Global Telethon, "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief". The show will also feature performances by Wyclef Jean, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and Coldplay, among others. "Hope For Haiti Now" will be the most widely distributed telethon in history and it will be aired on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, BET, The CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT on Friday, January 22, 2010 at 8pm ET/PT and 7pm CT. The show will be also streamed live on Youtube, Hulu, MySpace, AOL, Bing.com, Bet.com, CNN.com, MTV.com, VH1.com and Rhapsody.
All musical performances will be available for purchase for through the Apple iTunes Store beginning Saturday, January 23, with all proceeds benefiting Haiti relief funds managed by “Hope for Haiti Now” charities.
The Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund and United Nations World Food Programme have joined the list of relief organizations that will benefit from “Hope for Haiti Now,” which also includes Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Red Cross, UNICEF, and Yele Haiti Foundation. Proceeds from “Hope for Haiti Now” will be split evenly among each organization’s individual funds for Haiti earthquake relief.
Until then, you can donate to UNICEF’s emergency relief fund at www.unicef.org.
Shakira has been shortlisted for Best International Female at this year's Brits, the UK's most prestigious music awards. This is Shakira's first nomination at the Brits since 2003, when she was nominated for Best International Breakthrough Act.
The Brits will take place in London on Tuesday February 16. For more information, head over to www.brits.co.uk.
The destruction and loss of life in Haiti causes us all to take stock in what is really important. This small country has endured so much - more than its fair share of tragedy. I can't imagine the devastation that has struck an already weakened infrastructure. Critical services needed for recovery, such as schools and hospitals, have been destroyed.
The people of Haiti need our help immediately. Money will be needed to provide urgent emergency relief and I urge everyone who can afford to help to either donate to UNICEF’s emergency relief fund at www.unicef.org or text the word YELE to 501501 on your U.S. cell phone (this will charge your phone $5 - it will go to Wyclef Jean's foundation which is playing a major role in the relief effort. For more information, see www.yele.org).
We must all act. As a global community, we must be part of the recovery of Haiti and its people.
How would you like to win the big bundle of Shakira merch pictured below? Well, all you have to do is name the Shakira song which Tim Mitchell, Shakira's Musical Director, is trying to remember in the video above. When you have your answer, simply post a comment below, before 2pm EST/New York time on Friday January 15 (please note, comments won't appear immediately).
After 2pm on Friday we'll then pick a winner at random, and they'll be sent the full merch package - wherever in the world they live. Good luck! Now, here's that picture of what you could win...
Happy new year guys! After our film of Shakira playing Santa Baby at the Rockefeller Center Plaza (aka 30 Rock) in New York, we have one last video for you, featuring Shakira's band getting ready to perform.
Now that over 200,000 of you have watched our film of Shakira performing Santa Baby at the Rockefeller Center Plaza (aka 30 Rock) in New York, we thought you might like to see this little feelgood movie showing a few dedicated Shakira fans that Shakira.com's resident film-maker managed to get right down the front for the performance...
Hey guys. I just want to wish you all a very happy Christmas and thank you for all your support in what has been an amazing year for me. I look forward to seeing you on the road in 2010!
Cos I'm a Gypsy, are you coming with me? 
