Colombian singer Shakira has committed financial support through her foundation to reconstruct educational facilities destroyed in a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia last month, killing nearly 300 people.
Shakira visited the Chocó department on Colombia's Pacific coast on Monday, one week after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake caused widespread destruction across the country. Accompanied by US philanthropist Howard Buffett, the pop star announced her commitment to support reconstruction efforts in the region, which was among the hardest hit by the disaster.
The singer's Pies Descalzos foundation pledged $1 million toward rebuilding efforts, with funds designated for repairing damaged schools, rebuilding a technical institute, and constructing 10 new schools. According to reports, more than 2,800 schools across Colombia sustained damage in the August 10 earthquake, with significant numbers located in Chocó, a region predominantly inhabited by Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities.
Shakira expressed concern that recovery efforts could be abandoned once immediate emergency measures end, leaving communities and children without adequate educational facilities. Speaking to reporters in Quibdó, the department's capital, she emphasized her worry that vulnerable populations could be forgotten and students prevented from returning to school. The singer noted that her foundation has maintained a presence in the north-western region for over two decades, previously supporting school construction and educational initiatives for children and young people.
