Shakira stands by the victims of earthquake in Colombia
Pop queen stands in front of a school destroyed by the devastating tremor. AI generated image.
Recently, a powerful and devastating earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck the South American country of Colombia, plunging the nation into extreme crisis. However, during this difficult disaster, pop queen and Grammy-winning star Shakira has stood by the people of her homeland. She personally visited the affected areas and devastated schools in Quibdó, the city hardest hit in the Chocó province.
Standing in front of the schools destroyed by the devastating tremor on August 10, Shakira shared photos and videos on her Instagram account and wrote, "Colombia may be in pain today, but Colombia has not fallen apart! In the past few days, I have seen how the people of this country have come together to support one another, especially for our tender young children."
The education sector suffered the most damage from the earthquake. To quickly bring children back to classrooms, Shakira and her charitable foundation, "Pies Descalzos," have announced a massive relief and reconstruction plan.
Under this initiative, the "FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund" and "Live Nation" are jointly donating US$1 million, which will be spent on providing educational materials for children and repairing destroyed schools. Additionally, with financial support from the "Howard G. Buffett Foundation," 10 completely new school buildings will be constructed in the Chocó region.
The singer has also committed to donating from her personal funds to rebuild the "Technological University of Quibdó," one of the key centers for higher education for students of her foundation.
David Tamayo, head of Colombia's Disaster Risk Management Department, reported that the deadly magnitude-7.4 earthquake on August 10 raised the death toll to 273. In addition, over 3,824 people were injured, and 377 remain missing.
The earthquake has reduced various regions of the country to rubble. According to official data, approximately 12,584 homes were completely destroyed, and about 75,000 houses were damaged. Furthermore, 2,198 schools and educational institutions, 216 health centers, and 825 community centers were severely affected.
During such a national crisis, alongside UN humanitarian agencies and the global community, this humanitarian initiative by a global star like Shakira has brought a new ray of hope to the country.
