Globally acclaimed pop superstar Shakira has pledged to help construct at least 10 new schools in a remote and heavily impacted region of her homeland following a catastrophic earthquake last week that left hundreds dead and damaged thousands of educational facilities across western Colombia.

The artist made the announcement on Monday during an unannounced trip to Quibdó, the provincial capital of Chocó, where she toured damaged school buildings, embraced students, and paused for photographs.

“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.”

Accompanying her on the tour was Howard Buffett, son of billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett and a long-standing financial supporter of Colombian social causes who previously assisted Shakira in establishing educational facilities in the country.

The rebuilding effort will be carried out jointly by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and Shakira’s charity, Fundación Pies Descalzos, also known as the Barefoot Foundation.

“When she calls, I come,” Buffett stated during the visit. Shakira also announced USD 500,000 funding commitments each from Live Nation and Global Citizen to back the initiative.

The disaster struck on Aug. 10 when a magnitude 7.4 earthquake shook large areas of western Colombia, causing at least 287 fatalities and destroying more than 26,000 homes, according to official reports. Government statistics list 194 individuals as missing, though civilian-run tracking databases estimate the number exceeds 4,100.

The quake's epicenter was located in Chocó, among Colombia’s most impoverished provinces. Updated regional government reports released Monday indicate that at least 3,100 homes were destroyed and over 265 educational structures were affected.

“It’s a place I love, a place where I’ve seen our students grow in our classrooms,” Shakira noted in a video posted on X by Colombian news outlet La FM. She explained that her foundation has worked in Chocó for 22 years and operates two schools that have seen hundreds of students graduate. “I really want to see it rebuild again,” she added.

Humanitarian organizations have faced substantial difficulties evaluating the full scope of destruction in Chocó, a territory comparable in size to Switzerland where telecommunications are severely limited. The province has minimal road connectivity with the rest of Colombia, and many towns and villages are accessible primarily by river routes and unpaved roads.

According to national government data published last year, roughly 600,000 people reside in Chocó, with the majority living in poverty and belonging predominantly to Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities.

Speaking to a crowd at a major high school in Quibdó, Shakira reflected on the immense scale of suffering. “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.”

The 49-year-old Grammy winner—widely known for international hits such as “Whenever, Wherever” and “La Tortura,” as well as the 2026 FIFA World Cup official anthem “Dai Dai”—has dedicated decades to educational advocacy. She informed reporters Monday that she intends to focus all her “personal efforts” on restoring a regional technological university in Chocó.

Shakira headlined the halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in July and performed before an estimated two million spectators at Brazil’s Copacabana Beach in May.

Following twin earthquakes in Venezuela in June, she announced USD 500,000 in support from the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund for regional school recovery.

Her pledge is part of a broader mobilization by prominent Latin American personalities and cultural figures aiding earthquake relief in Colombia and Venezuela. On Sunday, performers Marc Anthony and Chayanne joined dozens of artists at a live benefit concert and fundraiser in Miami.

Meanwhile, Colombian singer Karol G pledged to match fan donations to her Con Cora Foundation during a three-night performance at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles last weekend, ahead of a scheduled Bogotá benefit show this Sunday featuring Maluma, Sebastián Yatra, and others.

Last week, the South American Football Confederation and the Colombian Football Federation also committed a combined USD 1 million to First Lady Ana Lucía Pineda’s “Colombia, one heart” recovery initiative.

Source: AP