Shakira Pledges US$1.25 M to Rebuild Earthquake-Damaged Schools in Chocó

Colombia’s Shakira has pledged US$1.25 million toward rebuilding schools and educational infrastructure damaged by the earthquake that struck Colombia’s Pacific region on August 10, announcing a major recovery initiative during a visit to Chocó on Monday.

The award-winning singer and pop superstar arrived in Quibdó accompanied by American philanthropist Howard Graham Buffett, representatives of CAF, the development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, and her Fundación Pies Descalzos. The delegation met children, families and educators affected by the earthquake and assessed damage to schools and other educational facilities.

During the visit, Shakira met with Chocó Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba and Quibdó Mayor Rafael Bolaños to discuss the needs of communities and the challenges facing the department’s education system.

The singer announced that she would personally dedicate her efforts to rebuilding the Universidad Tecnológica del Chocó Diego Luis Córdoba, one of the region’s most important higher-education institutions, which was severely damaged by the earthquake.

“I am going to dedicate all my personal efforts to rebuilding the Universidad Tecnológica del Chocó,” Shakira told journalists in Quibdó. She also announced that Buffett would work with Fundación Pies Descalzos to support the construction of 10 new schools in the department.

The initiative comes as nearly 200 schools in Chocó have reported damage from the earthquake, complicating efforts to return students safely to classrooms.

The initial US$1.25 million commitment combines contributions from several organizations. Shakira and Live Nation are providing US$500,000, the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund is contributing another US$500,000, and CAF has pledged US$250,000.

Fundación Pies Descalzos will coordinate the reconstruction efforts with local authorities and educational communities. The organization has worked in Colombia for 25 years, focusing on school construction and expanding access to quality education.

For Shakira, restoring schools is about more than repairing damaged buildings. She said classrooms provide children with stability and routine at a moment when their families and communities are dealing with the consequences of a major natural disaster.

“Schools are more than buildings. They give children the stability and routine they need most after a disaster,” she said.

The earthquake caused extensive damage across western Colombia, with Chocó among the hardest-hit areas. The destruction of educational infrastructure has added another layer to the recovery challenge in a department already facing longstanding social and economic difficulties.

Shakira said she had watched Colombia respond to the disaster with both grief and solidarity.

“In recent days I have seen my country suffer, but I have also seen people come together with the resilience and solidarity that has always characterized us,” she said.

She also emphasized the urgency of getting children back into classrooms.

“Every day that children do not go to school is a day in which we pause their future, and we cannot allow that,” she said.

The singer called on international governments, private companies and philanthropic organizations to join the reconstruction effort. She specifically appealed to the governments of Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom to contribute to the recovery of Chocó.

The involvement of Buffett, whose philanthropic work has included major investments in education and development, is intended to expand the reconstruction effort beyond the initial financial commitment. Together with Pies Descalzos, his support will focus on replacing schools destroyed or rendered unusable by the earthquake.

The rebuilding initiative also places education at the center of Chocó’s broader recovery. While emergency assistance has focused on shelter, food, health and infrastructure, the reopening of schools can provide children with a safe environment and restore a sense of normality as families begin rebuilding their lives.

Shakira’s relationship with education in Colombia extends well beyond the current emergency. Through Fundación Pies Descalzos, she has spent decades supporting school construction and educational programs, particularly in communities facing poverty and limited access to educational opportunities.

Her visit to Chocó therefore marks an extension of that work into one of Colombia’s most vulnerable regions at a moment of acute need. “The Chocó is not alone. Colombia is not alone. And we are going to move forward,” Shakira said.

The first phase of the initiative will focus on assessing damage, coordinating with local authorities and communities, and determining the priorities for reconstruction. The objective is to restore safe educational spaces as quickly as possible while laying the groundwork for longer-term improvements to schools across the department.

For communities still recovering from the earthquake, the return of children to classrooms could become one of the clearest signs that Chocó is beginning to rebuild.