Courtesy: Jaume de la Iguana/UNICEFShakira and partner Gerard Pique are using their celebrity platform, as well as the birth of their second child, to do some good.
The proud parents have teamed up with UNICEF to throw a "World Baby Shower" to benefit vulnerable children, and in a new blog post, the Colombian beauty shares why it was so important for her and Gerard to give back, noting how lucky she was to have every available resource during her pregnancy—a luxury which many mothers are never afforded.
"As the time of my son's birth grew closer, I was full of anticipation," Shakira writes, referencing her first pregnancy with Milan. "Nonetheless, with every gift that was given to my son through the generosity of family or friends, I thought of mothers who couldn't count on even the most basic resources for their children in those first crucial stages of life, who often don't have access to vaccines, clean water, or even a proper birthing environment. For these mothers, having a baby, however happy an event, is often a risk to their own health or their newborn's."
The singer continues, sharing how she and Pique partnered with UNICEF "to throw a World Baby Shower that asked for gifts to be sent to places where they are not only appreciated, but where they can actually save lives," adding the positive response to their efforts were "overwhelming and emotional."
"With our second son, we wanted to take it one step further, and invite other parents to host their own showers that help benefit other babies and mothers living in extreme poverty," the singer says. "The feeling of sharing a happy event with others by helping those less fortunate is profoundly rewarding, and made the birth of our own child that much more sweet."
Last month, following the birth of son Sasha, the happy couple debuted the first photo of their newborn while encouraging fans to donate to the charity.
"This time around, during my second pregnancy, like many mothers, I felt more confident," she says. "The questions that kept me up at night with my first now seem more manageable and I have more perspective about their importance in the bigger picture.
"What I never want to forget, or stop questioning, is why every child and mother doesn't enjoy that same sense of security," she adds. "My hope is that by the time my sons are adults, they can look back and see how even small efforts can have a big impact when multiplied—and that they take the time to tackle the big questions of their time too."