Disaster Response Colombia Project #79027

Keep Earthquake-Hit Students Learning in Colombia

by MAKAIA

Summary

Following the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10, 2026, thousands of students in Choco are at risk of dropping out of school, as many educational institutions were damaged or destroyed. This project will support 385 at-risk students in Choco by providing access to STEM-based education that strengthens key foundational skills like literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking, as well as specialized bootcamp-based training in cybersecurity, data analysis or cloud computing.

$100,000
total goal

$100,000
remaining

0
donors

0
monthly donors

2
months

Challenge

Children and youth in Choco already faced barriers to accessing quality education as the department recorded Colombia's highest monetary poverty rate in 2025 (DANE, 2026). The earthquake has deepened these inequalities by damaging educational infrastructure and limiting institutions' ability to operate. Prolonged disruption puts an entire generation at risk of educational exclusion. Keeping students engaged in learning while institutions recover is essential to protecting their future.

Solution

In 12 months, Makaia will help 385 students in Choco continue learning while their institutions recover through our two-tier training pathway: 1) STEM Talent Incubator: 60 hours of asynchronous straining to strengthen critical thinking, logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and socioemotional skills. 2) BeTek Bootcamp: 300 hours of synchronous technical training in data analytics, cloud computing or cybersecurity available for post-secondary students, complemented by job placement support

Long-Term Impact

This foundational training will equip young people with the skills needed to continue learning and access new opportunities. The project will help prevent earthquake-related educational disruption from becoming long-term educational exclusion. By keeping at-risk students engaged in learning through STEM-based training programs, we will support educational continuity, reduce dropout risks, and mitigate widening socioeconomic inequalities, enabling students to build more resilient futures.