Schools are more than just places where children learn. They are safe spaces for children, families, and entire communities—places where people come together, find protection, and regain a sense of stability and community after difficult experiences. These places are of particular importance in the wake of a disaster: they restore a sense of normalcy for children while strengthening social cohesion across the entire community.

Consequently, when schools are damaged or destroyed, far more is lost than just a building; children lose a vital safe haven, families lose a key point of support, and communities lose a space that fosters togetherness.

The earthquake in Colombia on August 10, 2026 also damaged or destroyed schools and educational facilities in rural, Indigenous, and Afro-Colombian communities. For children and young people in these already difficult-to-reach regions, this often means having no safe place to learn for months. LAFI in NK e.V., the Latin American Women's Initiative in Neukölln, is collecting donations together with our partner organization Delzur to rebuild and equip educational facilities in the affected regions.

Education is one of the first things to be lost after a disaster — and one of the most important things for restoring a sense of normality and creating a future perspective.
Remote Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities already have limited access to educational infrastructure. These are precisely the communities we do not want to forget.
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This campaign brings together two causes that are important to us: access to education for children in crisis-affected areas and international solidarity between people in Germany and Colombia. The direct relationship with our partner organization Delzur and with local communities puts this principle of international understanding into practice.

A disaster of this scale cannot be addressed through a single fundraising campaign. Rebuilding homes and livelihoods takes time – and continued support, even after the news cycle has moved on to other topics.
We will remain alongside these communities for as long as they need us.

This campaign is an ongoing process, not a one-time appeal.
Here on this page and via Instagram (@lafi_berlin), we will regularly share updates: which communities we are reaching, how donations are being used, and what progress is being made with reconstruction.