Published: 11:19 PM, 18 August 2026
Shakira pledges to build schools in earthquake-hit Colombia
Colombian superstar Shakira has pledged to help build at least 10 new schools in a remote and severely affected region of her home country following last week’s devastating earthquake that killed hundreds of people and damaged thousands of educational facilities across western Colombia.
The globally acclaimed singer made the commitment Monday during a surprise visit to Quibdó, capital of the province of Chocó, where she toured damaged schools, hugged students and posed for photos with them.
“What worries me the most is that schools are not rebuilt once this emergency is over,” Shakira told reporters. “Every day that children don’t go to school is a day they miss out on their future.”
She was accompanied by Howard Buffett, son of billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett and a longtime donor to Colombia who has previously helped Shakira establish schools in the country. The Howard G. Buffett Foundation will work with Shakira’s Fundación Pies Descalzos, or Barefoot Foundation, on the project.
“When she calls, I come,” Buffett said during the visit. Shakira also announced $500,000 commitments from Global Citizen and Live Nation to support the initiative.
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck a large part of western Colombia on Aug. 10, killing at least 287 people and destroying more than 26,000 homes, according to authorities. The government has reported 194 people missing, while other civilian-run databases put the number at more than 4,100. The quake’s epicenter was in Chocó, one of Colombia’s poorest regions. According to the latest report from the regional government Monday, at least 3,100 homes were destroyed and more than 265 educational facilities were affected.
“It’s a place I love, a place where I’ve seen our students grow in our classrooms,” Shakira said in a video posted on X by Colombian news outlet La FM. Her foundation, which works to improve educational access for young people in Colombia, has operated in Chocó for 22 years and runs two schools from which hundreds of students have graduated, she said.
