Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Madonna Arrives in Malawi to Begin Adoption

Pop star tours village amid criticism of plans for Mercy James

By Drew Nelles, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 29, 2009 3:57 PM CDT

(Newser) – Madonna is now in Malawi to get her adoption of a young girl named Mercy James rolling, the BBC reports. Spotted in the village of Chinkhota, Madge said it was “amazing” to be back in Malawi, where she adopted her son David Banda three years ago. Mercy James is reportedly three or four years old, and her 18-year-old mother died a few months after her birth.

“Many people—especially our Malawian friends—say that David should have a Malawian brother or sister,” Madonna says. But the pop star has come under fire from critics who accuse Malawi of ignoring its own laws against foreign adoption. “Madonna tends to make [adoption] seem like it's the answer to everything,” one says.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Madonna arrived in Malawi Sunday in a bid to adopt a girl, who would become the second child the pop star has adopted from the impoverished African country. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

Madonna toured an impoverished village and discussed plans Sunday for building a new school in Malawi, the central African nation where she begins proceedings this week to adopt a young girl. (AP Photo/Riccardo Gangale)

Madonna and daughter Lourdes are seen in the village of Magwelo on the outskirts of Lilongwe, Malawi, Sunday, March 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Riccardo Gangale)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

A CNN report on Madonna's Malawi visit. (andrew3631)

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

What's Really Going On With Madonna's Charities?

Another nonprofit investigated as the Daily Beast takes a closer look

(NEWSER) - Not a good couple of weeks for Madonna: After a scandal late last month involving her Raising Malawi charity, another one of the Material Girl's nonprofits is under fire. The FBI is looking into "irregularities and suspicious activity" involving Success for Kids, an educational charity, the Daily reports. The organization has raised $33 million in contributions since 2001, and claims to have helped 60,000 kids in seven countries. Raising Malawi split from Success for Kids in 2008. More»

Plans for Madonna's Malawi School Collapse

Her charitable foundation pulls plug amid financial mess

(NEWSER) - A plan spearheaded by Madonna to build a $15 million school for impoverished girls in Malawi has been officially scrapped amid charges that the people running the project on her behalf squandered millions, reports the New York Times . In addition, the foundation Madonna founded with other Kabbalah devotees, Raising Malawi, has ousted its board of directors over the mess. The singer is among those stepping in to form a caretaker board. More»

Madonna's $15M School Ousts 200 Malawi Villagers

Residents must relocate, but singer did compensate them

(NEWSER) - Madonna wants to help Malawi with her $15 million girls’ school so much that she’s ejecting villagers to make it happen. Residents didn’t want to leave the school site just outside the capital, but the government handed the land over to Madonna and told 200 Malawians they must move to another government site. Madonna did, at least, pay the villagers about $115,000 for their houses, the future principal of her school tells the AP . More»

Web Game Turns Celeb Orphans Into Accessories

It's all in fun, says My Minx founder, but parents' groups disagree

(NEWSER) - An online fashion game is under fire for allowing players to buy a chic accessory for their avatars: the adopted children of celebrities. My Minx , a “dress-up game for style icons,” now includes an “adoption clinic” where players can acquire web versions of, say, Angelina Jolie’s brood, and even Haitian orphans. They can dress them up and sell the image rights to virtual magazines. “There are more than enough pressures on children to grow up already,” a parents’ advocate tells MSNBC . More»

Madonna Starts Malawian Girls School

Star breaks ground on $15M project in children's homeland

(NEWSER) - Construction on a Malawian school for girls founded by Madonna began today. The singer has put up $15 million for the creation of the Raising Malawi Academy for Girls, which is expected to be finished in 2 years, the BBC reports. "Growing up in a privileged life, I took education for granted, but coming to Malawi has taught me a lot of things, and to learn to appreciate what life gives," Madonna said at today's ribbon-cutting ceremony. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Madonna Arrives in Malawi to Begin Adoption