Beyoncé Directs $1 Million to Colombia Earthquake Relief

Beyoncé is directing $1 million in personal funds to relief efforts in Colombia after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Chocó region on August 10. Parkwood Entertainment said the donation is intended to help provide food and housing supplies in the hardest-hit areas.

The disaster killed at least 312 people and destroyed 29,000 homes, according to figures reported by The Associated Press. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that 69,000 people in Chocó — roughly 10 percent of the population — were displaced or otherwise affected.

The pledge lands alongside existing commitments from Shakira, who announced $1.25 million to rebuild 10 schools and a university through Fundación Pies Descalzos. That money is split between Shakira and Live Nation, the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, and the development bank CAF.

The relief effort remains open to public support through Food for the Poor and World Central Kitchen, two organizations flagged in Parkwood’s release. Neither artist framed the response as a one-time gesture; the emphasis, especially in Shakira’s comments, was on rebuilding infrastructure and restoring access to classrooms.