The devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake recorded last August 10 in Colombia left a critical situation in the western part of the country. The department of Chocó and its capital, Quibdó, suffered severe damage to their urban and educational infrastructure, with destroyed homes, collapsed buildings, and dozens of schools out of service.
Amid the emergency response efforts, a surprising and historic visit captured national attention: singer Shakira landed in Quibdó accompanied by Howard Graham Buffett, a prominent 69-year-old American philanthropist who is often mistaken for his father, the legendary billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
Both toured severely impacted institutions such as the Institución Educativa Colegio Carrasquilla Industrial de Quibdó to assess direct damage to classrooms and announce an intervention plan to ensure the return to classes for children in Chocó.
A philanthropist focused on crisis zones
Howard Graham Buffett was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on December 16, 1954. He is the second son of Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway.
Unlike his father’s strictly financial career, Howard has focused his public work on agriculture, environmental conservation, and philanthropy in conflict and disaster zones. He is the president of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, one of the largest private charitable organizations in the United States, through which he allocates massive resources to food security, community development, and global crisis mitigation.
His connection to Colombia is deep and historic:
- Citizenship by adoption: In 2021, the Colombian government granted him Colombian nationality by adoption in recognition of his multimillion-dollar social investments in the country.
- Social investment and post-conflict: Through his foundation, he has funded humanitarian demining initiatives with the Military Forces, agricultural development projects, and crop substitution in Catatumbo (Norte de Santander) and community infrastructure works in rural areas affected by the armed conflict.
Mission in Quibdó: Response to affected educational infrastructure
Howard Buffett’s presence alongside Shakira in Quibdó responds to a strategic alliance dating back to 2008, when they began cooperating on educational projects through the Fundación Pies Descalzos.
During the visit to the capital of Chocó, key reports were delivered on the local educational impact after the earthquake:
- Damage to the school network: According to figures from Fundación Pies Descalzos, more than 40 schools suffered total collapses in the department of Chocó.
- Attention to emblematic institutions: The condition of Colegio Carrasquilla Industrial was inspected and support for the recovery of the Technological University of Chocó (UTCH) was announced.
The reconstruction plan:
Shakira and Howard Buffett announced an initial fund raised together with international allies such as Global Citizen and Live Nation to channel immediate reconstruction resources. The project includes the construction and delivery of 10 new schools in Chocó, aiming to prevent school dropout and guarantee safe spaces for children after the disaster.