Fight against inequality

Panama City, Dec. 13 (AP): Pop diva Shakira and Nobel Prize laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez yesterday launched a star-studded foundation to fight child poverty in Latin America.

Backed by the Colombians and other luminaries of entertainment and finance, the Latin America in Solidarity Action — whose Spanish acronym is ALAS, or “wings” — took flight with a promise to tackle poverty that kills 350,000 children each year in the region.

Spanish singer Miguel Bose will serve as executive director of the foundation, conceived about a year ago by Shakira, who also heads the Colombia-based non-profit foundation Pies Descalzos, or Barefoot, which helps the child victims of violence in Colombia.

Both Shakira and Garcia Marquez hail from Colombia.

The ALAS promoters said the foundation does not pretend to replace other organisations that work with children or eliminate the obligation governments have to eradicate poverty, but to strengthen existing efforts.

“We all have to do our part to fight against inequality” Shakira said in a news release issued prior to the launching ceremony at the National Theatre.

The foundation will be based in the City of Knowledge, a former US armed forces base near the Panama Canal.

“Latin America has some devastating statistics,” added Garcia, citing the 350,000 children under 5 who die from causes linked to poverty, and the 40 million minors who work in the street.