The girl, who was once sent out of the class for her hyperactivity, is now toiling day and night to ensure that her children are raised well. And this international songstress is doing all it takes. Shakira, who embraced motherhood after giving birth to her first son in 2013 and the second one in 2015, was invited to the World Economic Forum 2017 in Davos where she got an opportunity to share her passion for early child development.
Apart from her children, some of her own childhood experiences left an indelible impression on her mind to give her the zest to relentlessly work towards this cause. A 7-year-old Shakira had seen her family grapple with financial issues. At that time, her father took her to an orphanage to make her realize how fortunate she still was. She says that the incident impacted her a lot and since then providing high quality education to as many children as possible became her life's mission.
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Read on to know the seven lessons that motherhood taught Shakira:
1. Early learning professionals, governments and society can play a pivotal role in shaping the brain structure of every child till he/she turns 5. It's important to expose children to new thinking, ideas, diversity in gender, generations and races.
2. A child's growth, health and happiness is not solely dependent on the DNA. A stimulating environment along with other external factors is the key to brain development.
3. Working on the child every day helps in his social, cognitive and emotional development. Love, protection and nutrition are critical elements of early childhood development.
4. Investing in early childhood development is one of the most cost-effective ways of increasing human capital. Stunted growth of a child shares an intrinsic relationship with lower educational attainment, lower adult learning and chronic disease.
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5. Expectant mothers and fathers should be given the knowledge, opportunities and time they require to become good parents.
6. Government can invest in policies that support parents and give them the resources and time to love and nurture their children.
7. Childhood development plays a crucial role in the growth of family, society and the economy.
This "Waka Waka" girl is currently the UNICEF's Goodwill Ambassador. She is at the World Economic Forum to receive the 2017 Crystal Award for her leadership in advancing early childhood education.
Image credit: Youtube.com
Charvi is an intern with SheThePeople.TV
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