Pop superstar Shakira has pledged to visit Uganda soon after sponsoring the famous Triplets Ghetto Kids to perform at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, their dance coach has revealed.
Addressing journalists on Monday morning following their return at the Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium, Dauda Kavuma-the founder and dance coach of the group-said the Colombian singer-songwriter expressed her desire to deepen her collaboration with the Ugandan dancers.
Kavuma disclosed that following their performance at the World Cup, Shakira and her management team organized an additional show for the group at the Barclaycard Center in New York.
“Shakira and her team did not end with the performance during the World Cup finals. They organized another show for us at the Barclays Center, where she told us she is coming to Uganda because she wants to continue working with us,” Kavuma said.
Despite the eventual success, Kavuma revealed that their travel to the United States was fraught with severe logistical hurdles. The trip coincided with a declared Ebola outbreak in Uganda, during which the US Embassy had temporarily halted visa processing.
Determined to get the kids to the global stage, Shakira’s team initially attempted to secure entry visas for the troupe through Kenya, Mexico, and Colombia, but were unsuccessful. They eventually routed the group to Ecuador, where the dancers underwent a mandatory 21-day quarantine before the embassy could process their US visas.
Kavuma expressed gratitude to local sponsors who supported the troupe during their isolation abroad, including businessman Amos Nzeyi, telecom giant MTN Uganda, Everyday Biscuits, and the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB).
Speaking at the same event, Joseph Byaruhanga, Brand Manager at Pepsi Cola (Crown Beverages Ltd), noted that Nzeyi’s support for the Ghetto Kids traces back to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he saw them perform live.
“When he returned home, he tasked us to find these kids. He gave them Shs100 million to construct a permanent home in Nakawuka, Wakiso District, and he is currently building them a rehabilitation home,” Byaruhanga stated.
Pearl Kitimbo, a Communications Officer at Crown Beverages Ltd, also revealed that world football governing body FIFA presented the Ghetto Kids with an extraordinary souvenir: the official match ball used during the 2026 World Cup finals.
According to Kitimbo, the troupe plans to use the historic match ball during a series of friendly exhibition matches across the country.