Shakira makes surprise visit to earthquake-damaged Colombia

Colombian pop star Shakira pledged to build at least ten new schools in a remote, earthquake-ravaged region of her home country after last week's devastating 7.4 magnitude quake struck, killing hundreds and affecting thousands of educational sites in western Colombia. The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer visited Quibdó, the capital of Colombia's Chocó province, during a surprise tour of damaged schools, hugging students and posing for photos with them.

Shakira expressed concern that schools would not be rebuilt once the emergency was over, stating that each day without school is a day children miss out on their future. Accompanied by Howard Buffett, son of billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett and a longtime donor to Colombia, Shakira's Fundación Pies Descalzos, or Barefoot Foundation, plans to collaborate on the project.

Globally recognized musicians Global Citizen and Live Nation pledged $500,000 each to support the cause. The quake affected over 26,000 dwellings, destroyed more than 3,100 homes and impacted more than 265 educational sites in the impoverished, mostly Indigenous and Afro-Colombian region. Shakira, a longtime supporter of education, plans to dedicate her personal efforts to rebuilding a local technological university in Chocó.