Shakira Pledges $1.25 Million to Rebuild Schools Damaged by Earthquake in Colombia

Shakira made a surprise visit yesterday to Quibdó, the capital of the Colombian province of Chocó, where nearly 200 schools have reported damage following the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Aug. 10. During the visit, Shakira committed an initial $1.25 million to help rebuild 10 schools and a university via her charitable foundation.

The Colombian singer toured several damaged schools and met with children. She was accompanied by Howard Buffett, son of billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett and a longtime donor to Colombia who has helped Shakira set up schools there before.

The $1.25 million pledge 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 will be channeled through Shakira’s Fundación Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Foundation), and will go toward rebuilding schools and getting children back into classrooms.

“What worries me the most is that schools are not rebuilt once this emergency is over,” Shakira told journalists ( via ABC ). “Every day that children don’t go to school is a day they miss out on their future.”

She added, “It’s a place I love, a place where I’ve seen our students grow in our classrooms. I really want to see it rebuilt again.”