Shakira Pledges $1.25 Million to Rebuild Colombia Schools After Earthquake

Shakira has committed an initial $1.25 million to help rebuild schools damaged by the earthquake that struck her native Colombia, announcing the pledge during a surprise visit to one of the hardest-hit regions of the country.

The Colombian superstar traveled Monday (Aug. 17) to Quibdó, the capital of the province of Chocó, where nearly 200 schools have reported damage following the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia on Aug. 10, killing hundreds of people. She toured damaged classrooms, meeting students and educators, and met with Chocó’s governor, Nubia Carolina Córdoba, and Quibdó’s mayor, Rafael Bolaños, to hear about the region’s needs.

The $1.25 million commitment brings together several partners: $500,000 from Shakira and Live Nation, $500,000 from the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, and $250,000 from CAF, the development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. The funds, channeled through Shakira’s Fundación Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Foundation), will go toward rebuilding schools and getting children back into classrooms.

Philanthropist Howard Buffett, who accompanied Shakira on the visit and has partnered with her on education projects in Colombia before, announced that his foundation would separately support the reconstruction of 10 additional schools in Chocó. “When she calls, I come,” Buffett said during the visit.

Shakira framed the effort around the long-term stakes for the region’s children.

“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.” Her foundation has operated in Chocó for more than two decades, running two schools in the region.

“It’s a place I love, a place where I’ve seen our students grow in our classrooms,” she said. “I really want to see it rebuild again.” She added that she planned to dedicate her personal efforts to rebuilding a local technological university in the province.

Chocó is one of Colombia’s poorest and most isolated regions — an area roughly the size of Switzerland where towns are connected largely by rivers and unpaved roads, complicating relief efforts. Shakira’s pledge is among a wave of commitments from Latin American artists following the disaster. Over the weekend, Marc Anthony and Chayanne joined dozens of artists at a Miami benefit concert for earthquake relief in Colombia and Venezuela, while Karol G pledged to match fan donations to her Con Cora Foundation during a three-night run at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles.

One of the most successful Latin artists in history, Shakira has long paired her career with philanthropy in her home country. She scored a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 with 2006’s “Hips Don’t Lie” featuring Wyclef Jean, one of the best-selling singles of the century, and holds the record for the most Latin Airplay No. 1s of any woman, with 21. She headlined the halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in July and was named Billboard’s inaugural Latin Woman of the Year in 2023. She founded Fundación Pies Descalzos in 1997 to expand educational access for children in Colombia.