In the aftermath of a devastating magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia’s Chocó department on August 10, international efforts to rebuild and support the affected communities have gained momentum. Colombian singer Shakira and philanthropist Howard Graham Buffett, son of U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett, have joined forces to help rebuild schools in the epicenter of the disaster.

Shakira and Buffett’s Visit to Quibdó

A week after the earthquake, Shakira visited Quibdó, the capital of Chocó, on Monday with Buffett and representatives of CAF, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, and her Barefoot Foundation. During the visit, Shakira announced a $1.25 million contribution to help build and rebuild schools damaged by the earthquake, as well as the Technological University of Chocó, which sustained severe damage, according to Colombian newspaper El Colombiano.

Buffett, whose foundation has been involved in initiatives focused on education, rural development, and communities affected by Colombia’s armed conflict for several years, announced that the Howard G. Buffett Foundation will join the initiative by providing funding to rebuild 10 additional schools in Chocó, including schools in Quibdó and rural areas. His foundation’s involvement in Colombia predates the earthquake, and in 2017, it contributed $38 million to humanitarian land mine removal initiatives in the country, as reported by Noticias Caracol.

Buffett’s participation expands the response to the emergency and adds to resources announced by Shakira, Live Nation, the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, and CAF. Shakira stressed the urgency of reopening classrooms as quickly as possible to prevent the disaster from disrupting children’s education. She warned that each day of missed school deepens social vulnerability and called for coordinated public and private efforts to restore classes for thousands of children and young people affected by the humanitarian crisis.