In 2003, when Shakira was a Grade 10 student in Brampton, ON, she was deeply concerned about the apathetic attitude she saw among many of her peers about the genocide in Darfur. Together with a group of her friends, she started Project Darfur in her school with the aim of raising awareness about what was going on in Darfur and to provide a platform where youth and students could educate themselves and advocate for change. In the course of working on Project Darfur–talking to students in her school as well as other schools (where she facilitated workshops)—she realized the need to do more and expand the scope of Project Darfur. Thus, in 2004 with the help of a few of her friends and the inspiration of her mother, she formed Continental Rescue Africa and registered it as a Canadian non-profit organization.

Shakira lives by the motto: “Do small things with great love.”