Colombian singer Shakira has committed an initial $1.25 million to rebuild schools damaged by the earthquake that struck her native Colombia, making the announcement during a surprise visit to one of the hardest-hit regions.
The singer traveled to Quibdó, the capital of the Chocó department, on August 17, where nearly 200 schools have reported damage following the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia on August 10.
Shakira Pledges $1M to Colombian Schools Damaged by Earthquake
Rafael Bolanos via Storyful pic.twitter.com/5SoUsV3JPZ
— Complex (@Complex) August 19, 2026
She toured damaged classrooms, met with students and educators and chatted with Chocó Gov. Nubia Carolina Córdoba and Quibdó Mayor Rafael Bolaños to hear about the region’s needs.
The $1.25 million commitment comes from several partners: $500,000 from the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, a $500,000 match from Live Nation and $250,000 from CAF, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. The funds will move through Shakira’s charity, Fundación Pies Descalzos, also known as the Barefoot Foundation, which she founded in 1997 to expand access to education for children in Colombia.
Announcing the commitment, Shakira said, “These past few days, I’ve watched my country suffer, but I’ve also watched people come together with the resilience and solidarity that has always defined us. Schools are more than buildings. They give children the stability and routine they need most after a disaster. That’s why we’re making an initial $1.25 million commitment to help rebuild schools and get children back into their classrooms. Chocó is not alone. Colombia is not alone. And we will keep going.”
Personal pledge to rebuild a university
Beyond the school-reconstruction fund, Shakira said she would personally dedicate her efforts to restoring Universidad Tecnológica del Chocó Diego Luis Córdoba, the department’s main public higher education institution, which was also damaged in the earthquake.
“This university is where most of our Pies Descalzos graduates continue their higher education,” she said.
The university holds particular significance for Fundación Pies Descalzos because students who have benefited from its educational programs can continue their studies there.
Buffett Foundation adds 10 more schools
Shakira was accompanied on the visit by Howard Buffett, son of billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett and a longtime donor to Colombia who has previously helped Shakira establish schools there.
During the visit, Buffett announced that his foundation would separately fund the rebuilding of 10 additional schools in Chocó.
“When she calls, I come,” Buffett said.
The reconstruction campaign is being described as an opening phase rather than a finished plan. Shakira said the $1.25 million is a starting point, with Fundación Pies Descalzos continuing to work with local communities and partners to identify urgent needs, coordinate funding and oversee reconstruction.
“Our commitment isn’t going anywhere: we won’t stop until every child in Chocó and across Colombia can go back to their classrooms, their friends, their lives,” Shakira said.
The scale of the damage in Chocó
The earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, with its epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó. Colombian officials have reported differing casualty figures in the aftermath.
Terrifying moments in Colombia! 😨
As people rushed out of a building to escape the powerful earthquake, debris came raining down on those fleeing, creating a horrifying and chaotic scene.#Earthquake #Columbia #Disaster #ColumiaEarthquake pic.twitter.com/hlevI5yueK
— AH Siddiqui (@anwar0262) August 10, 2026
President Abelardo de la Espriella said authorities had confirmed 289 deaths, 4,187 injuries and 134 people still missing. Separately, Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management reported 287 deaths, 4,147 injuries and 194 missing people nationwide. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that 10.5 million people were affected by the quake.
Mi primera alocución como Presidente de la República llega en uno de los momentos más dolorosos y desafiantes para nuestra Nación.
Hoy le hablé a Colombia con el corazón apretado por quienes perdieron la vida, por sus familias, por nuestros heridos, por quienes siguen buscando a… pic.twitter.com/9979VWJMw7
— Abelardo De La Espriella (@ABDELAESPRIELLA) August 18, 2026
Nearly 200 schools have reportedly been damaged, with 40 destroyed, per the latest news.
“To the parents who lost their children, words are not enough. All I can offer is my heart and the promise that their pain will never be forgotten,” Shakira said.
She also warned about the long-term impact of school closures.
“What worries me the most is that schools are not rebuilt once this emergency is over. Every day that children don’t go to school is a day they miss out on their future,” she told journalists.
Describing her connection to the region, Shakira added, “It’s a place I love, a place where I’ve seen our students grow in our classrooms. I really want to see it rebuild again.”
Speaking in Spanish and quoted by Noticias Caracol, Shakira also framed the effort as a response to the department’s long history of being neglected.
“There is not a way to alleviate the pain of so many, there are no magic solutions,” she said. “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.”
