Selena Gomez quietly traveled to Africa, met with schoolchildren for new charity project

Selena Gomez is preparing to release her first studio album in years, but she put aside her promotional duties recently to take a trip to Africa as part of her work with the WE Movement. The singer posted photos from the trip this week on Instagram, sharing shots of her hugging and laughing with schoolchildren, working outside with her team and meeting an elephant up-close. “I will share so many of these stories and voices. Voices that need to be heard,” she captioned the pics. “We are working on something so special that will hopefully change so many lives. This is all I can post for now. @wemovement you do INCREDIBLE things and I’m honored to be apart of the family! Just the beginning.. my heart will be dedicated to people and serving.” According to AllAfrica.com, social media users in Kenya reported seeing her in their country for a week. She was reportedly visiting schools currently under construction while she was there. WE’s website describes the organization as a group of charities that “empower people to change the world locally and globally,” often by teaming up with local communities and community organizations.