Shakira directs $500,000 FIFA education fund to aid Venezuelan children after earthquakes

Colombian singer Shakira announced on 3 July 2026 that US$ 500,000 from FIFA’s Global Education Fund will be allocated to organisations in Venezuela that are helping children whose schooling was disrupted by recent earthquakes. The funding aims to enable students to return to classrooms, support teachers and restore access to learning.

She urged the international community to join the effort, noting that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has already expressed support and calling on leaders such as Portugal’s Luís Montenegro, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz to follow suit. The FIFA fund seeks to raise US$ 100 million by the end of the 2026 World Cup to back education projects in more than 200 countries, and Shakira will also perform at the tournament’s halftime show to promote the initiative.