Colombian singer Shakira visited the earthquake-stricken department of Chocó on Monday to pledge financial support for rebuilding schools after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit the country on August 10, killing nearly 300 people.
Accompanied by American philanthropist Howard Buffett, the pop star traveled to the Pacific coast region, which served as the epicenter of the natural disaster, one week after the destructive tremor struck northwestern Colombia.
Speaking to journalists in Quibdó, the departmental capital, Shakira stated that more than 2,800 schools across Colombia were damaged by the earthquake, with many of those located in Chocó, an area populated predominantly by indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities.
She expressed deep concern that once the official state of emergency is lifted, damaged educational facilities will be left unrestored, leaving local communities forgotten and preventing children from returning to their classrooms.
Funding for school reconstruction
Shakira clarified that $1 million has already been raised for the reconstruction effort. The funds are slated to repair damaged school buildings, rebuild a technical education institute, and fund the construction of 10 new schools across the region.
The singer highlighted that her charitable foundation, Pies Descalzos, has been active in the impoverished northwestern department for more than 20 years, constructing schools and supporting educational programs for children and young people.
Pies Descalzos was established by Shakira in the late 1990s to improve access to education and nutrition for vulnerable children in Colombia, focusing on communities impacted by poverty and displacement.
Disaster impact in Chocó
Chocó is an administrative department located on Colombia's Pacific coast, known for its dense rainforests, high poverty rates, and significant indigenous and Afro-Colombian populations.
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake on August 10 damaged vital infrastructure across Colombia and left nearly 300 people dead, triggering widespread emergency relief efforts throughout the country.
Emergency response teams and charitable organizations continue to assess structural damage to schools in Chocó as plans proceed to allocate the initial $1 million raised for building repairs and school construction.
