Beyoncé Donates One Million Dollars to Colombia Earthquake Relief
COLOMBIA · EARTHQUAKE RELIEF
Key Facts
—What happened: Beyoncé will personally donate one million dollars to organizations helping victims of Colombia’s August 10 earthquake.
—How it moves: The money goes through BeyGOOD, the singer’s own foundation, to groups working on the ground in Colombia.
—The disaster: The 7.4-magnitude quake struck near San José del Palmar on August 10 and damaged twelve departments.
—The catch: The gift is a pledge announced by her company, and no recipient organizations have been named yet.
—A wider wave: Colombian stars led the way, with Shakira pledging US$1 million for schools and Karol G raising US$1.2 million.
—What comes next: Watch for BeyGOOD to name partners, against a reconstruction bill of COP$30 trillion (US$9.6 billion).
Beyoncé will personally donate one million dollars to help communities hit by Colombia’s August 10 earthquake, her company Parkwood Entertainment announced this week. The Beyoncé donation joins a relief wave that Colombian artists themselves started within days of the disaster.
What the Beyoncé donation covers
The announcement came from Parkwood Entertainment, the company Beyoncé founded and chairs. It said she will personally give one million dollars to organizations providing on-the-ground assistance in Colombia.
The money will flow through BeyGOOD, the charitable foundation she created in 2013. BeyGOOD became a registered public charity in the United States in 2023.
Neither Parkwood nor BeyGOOD has named the receiving organizations yet. The Beyoncé donation is, for now, a commitment rather than a completed transfer.
The disaster the money answers
The earthquake struck on Monday, August 10, near San José del Palmar in Chocó, on Colombia’s Pacific side. It measured 7.4 in magnitude and caused widespread damage across the country’s west.
Official counts have climbed all month. The government puts the reconstruction bill near COP$30 trillion (US$9.6 billion), roughly 7 percent of gross domestic product.
More than 45,000 homes were damaged and over 9,000 destroyed, according to the national disaster agency. The confirmed death toll reached 329 by August 22, with 247 people still missing.
Twelve departments reported damage, from the Pacific coast into the coffee region. Government estimates cited in our earlier reporting put full reconstruction at up to six years.
Colombia’s own stars moved first
The Beyoncé donation joins a relief effort led from inside Colombia. Shakira traveled to Quibdó on August 17 and pledged US$1 million to rebuild schools in Chocó.
Karol G turned her Los Angeles concerts into fundraisers, matching fan gifts through her Con Cora Foundation. By her Bogotá show on Sunday, August 23, her drive had collected US$1.2 million.
A benefit concert featuring Karol G, Maluma and Sebastián Yatra raised nearly US$3 million, the music publication Consequence reported. That show became one of the largest single fundraising nights of the response.
In Miami, more than 30 artists played the Unidos Por Los Nuestros benefit on Sunday, August 16. Marc Anthony, Luis Fonsi and Ricardo Montaner headlined a concert paired with an international telethon.
Medellín held its own benefit, Colombia, Medellín Te Quiere, with over 25 artists on Saturday, August 15. All ticket proceeds went to victims, and the band Morat added donation points to its Bogotá residency.
Morat also pledged part of the proceeds from its six Bogotá shows to UNICEF. That money is earmarked for rebuilding schools in Chocó, Quindío, Valle del Cauca and Antioquia.
Why a single million matters in Chocó
Chocó is Colombia’s poorest department, and it took the heaviest hit. Its towns sit close to the epicenter, far from the banks and agencies of Bogotá.
Government aid is arriving, but slowly. Emergency decrees, credit lines and tax measures all take weeks to turn into cash in a remote river town.
Aid groups are filling part of that gap. Direct Relief, an American charity, reports US$27 million in medical assistance committed to the response so far.
Celebrity gifts matter less for their size than for their speed. The Beyoncé donation can move within weeks, while budget lines and bank credits take months.
What to watch from here
First, watch for BeyGOOD to name its partner organizations in Colombia. That choice will decide whether the money reaches Chocó or stops in Bogotá.
Second, watch the matching effect. Karol G’s model doubled fan donations, and a Beyoncé donation could pull corporate givers off the sidelines.
Third, watch the gap. Even counted generously, celebrity giving remains a small slice of a US$9.6 billion reconstruction bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Beyoncé donation for Colombia?
One million US dollars, given personally by the singer and routed through her BeyGOOD foundation to organizations working on the ground.
When was the Beyoncé donation announced?
Her company Parkwood Entertainment announced it on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Billboard and Variety reported the pledge in the days that followed.
What happened in the Colombia earthquake?
A 7.4-magnitude quake struck near San José del Palmar, Chocó, on August 10, 2026. It damaged more than 45,000 homes across twelve departments.
Which other artists have given?
Shakira pledged US$1 million to rebuild schools in Chocó. Karol G’s fan-matching drive reached US$1.2 million, and one benefit concert raised nearly US$3 million.
Where does the money go?
BeyGOOD says the funds will support organizations providing on-the-ground assistance in Colombia. The receiving groups have not yet been named.
Connected Coverage
We covered Shakira’s school pledge in Shakira Pledges US$1 Million to Rebuild Colombia’s Quake-Hit Schools, Karol G’s matching drive in Karol G Donation Hits US$1.2 Million at Bogotá Concert and the rising human cost in Colombia Earthquake Toll Rises to 329 Dead and 247 Missing.
Sources: Parkwood Entertainment announcement via Billboard and Variety; Consequence; Direct Relief; Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).
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