Colombian superstar Shakira announced Monday her commitment to help build at least 10 new schools in Chocó, a remote province in her home country devastated by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake on August 10. The quake killed at least 287 people and destroyed more than 26,000 dwellings across western Colombia, affecting over 265 educational sites in Chocó alone.
During a surprise visit to Quibdó, the provincial capital, Shakira toured damaged schools and spoke with students. "What worries me the most is that schools are not rebuilt once this emergency is over,” she told journalists. "Every day that children don’t go to school is a day they miss out on their future."
Howard Buffett, son of philanthropist Warren Buffett, joined Shakira for the visit. His Howard G. Buffett Foundation will collaborate with Shakira's Fundación Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Foundation) on the project. Buffett stated, “When she calls, I come.” Global Citizen and Live Nation also pledged $500,000 each toward the initiative.
The earthquake struck a vast swath of western Colombia, with official government figures reporting 194 missing. However, other databases indicate over 4,100 people are missing. The epicenter was in Chocó, one of Colombia's poorest regions, where at least 3,100 homes were destroyed.
Shakira's foundation has focused on educational access in Colombia for 22 years and currently operates two schools in Chocó. "It’s a place I love, a place where I’ve seen our students grow in our classrooms,” she said, expressing a desire to see the region rebuild. Aid groups have faced challenges in assessing damage in Chocó due to its limited road infrastructure and difficult communication.
Most of Chocó's 600,000 inhabitants live in poverty, with the province largely inhabited by Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. Shakira emphasized her commitment to the region, stating, "But what there is, is commitment to be here alongside those from Chocó, to not abandon El Chocó like it historically has been abandoned, until every Colombian and every person from Chocó can return to their normal lives like they deserve and all the children can return to their schools and dream of the futures they deserve."
This is not Shakira's first philanthropic effort in education. Following twin earthquakes in Venezuela in June, she announced the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund would commit $500,000 to education recovery efforts there. Her announcement comes as other prominent figures, including Marc Anthony and Chayanne, have participated in benefit concerts for earthquake relief in Colombia and Venezuela. Colombian singer Karol G has also pledged matching donations, and the Colombian Football Federation and South American Football Confederation have committed $1 million to a recovery fund led by Colombia's First Lady.