Shakira is using her global platform to help children in Venezuela return to the classroom following the country's devastating earthquakes. The Colombian superstar announced that the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund will dedicate $500,000 to support education recovery efforts, with a focus on helping students safely resume learning after the disaster.
The singer shared an emotional appeal on social media, highlighting the urgent need to rebuild educational opportunities for thousands of children whose schools and communities have been affected.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesShakira Announces Education Relief for Venezuela
Following the earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela, Shakira revealed that the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund is committing half a million dollars to restore access to education for children impacted by the disaster. The initiative aims to help schools recover while providing young students with a safe environment to continue learning.
In her message, Shakira emphasized that education should remain a priority even during humanitarian crises. She also encouraged supporters around the world to contribute to relief efforts and invited organizations working in Venezuela to apply for funding that will directly benefit affected communities.
© Variety via Getty ImagesNatural disasters often leave classrooms damaged, displace families, and interrupt children's education for months. Humanitarian organizations stress that reopening schools is about much more than academics.
Schools provide children with safe spaces during emergencies, access to meals and essential services, emotional support and stability, protection from exploitation and displacement, and a sense of normalcy while communities recover.
Shakira's latest appeal focuses on restoring those critical resources as quickly as possible for Venezuelan children.
A Long History of Supporting Children's Education
Education has remained one of Shakira's signature humanitarian causes throughout her career.
In 1997, she founded the Barefoot Foundation (Fundación Pies Descalzos), which builds schools and expands educational opportunities for vulnerable children in Colombia. She later became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and has spent more than two decades advocating for children's rights and access to quality education across Latin America.
© GettyImagesMore recently, Shakira joined the advisory board of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative created to expand educational opportunities worldwide through partnerships connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Venezuela earthquake response marks one of the fund's latest emergency education efforts.
How the New Funding Will Help
According to Shakira's announcement, the $500,000 commitment is intended to support organizations working to restore educational access after the earthquakes.
Funding may help provide temporary learning spaces, school supplies, educational materials, classroom repairs, resources for teachers, and programs that help children safely return to school.
Organizations based in Venezuela that are helping rebuild access to education have also been encouraged to seek support through the initiative.
