Madonna Arrives in Malawi to Begin Adoption

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»

'Misguided' Material Mom should use international adoption as a 'last resort'

(NEWSER) - By adopting Mercy James, Madonna has actually endangered other Malawian orphans, writes Anna Feuchtwang in the Daily Mail. “Corrupt adoption agencies and child traffickers, newly alerted to the ease with which Malawian laws can be circumvented, are even now planning to target the country,” writes Feuchtwang, chief executive of a charity that helps families stay together, citing examples of orphans sold into “forced labor or prostitution.” More»

Highest court grants permission to adopt

(NEWSER) - Malawi’s highest court ruled today that Madonna can adopt orphan Mercy James, the AP reports. The court, overturning a lower court’s rejection of the adoption bid, stated “every child has the right to love” and made the case that though the singer does not live in Malawi, “in this global village a man can have more than one place at which he resides.” More»

(NEWSER) - Madonna returned to Britain “devastated and shaking” over being denied her bid to adopt another Malawian orphan, sources tell the Daily Mail. Madge reportedly told her lawyer—who called the court’s decision “incomprehensible”—“Do whatever you can to get me my Mercy.” She is appealing the decision, but faces another potential setback in the appearance of a man claiming to be the girl’s biological father. More»

Other countries with real need also have effective systems

(NEWSER) - Madonna’s second adoption made other adoptive parents cringe, Bess Rattray writes for Vogue—not because the adoption itself was a bad idea, but because the media circus and the lack of “an established, transparent adoption system,” in Malawi made it look like baby stealing. Oh, and the "$800 haircut and Parisian safari gear" worthy of "an outtake from Brüno" didn't help either. In fact, other African countries have well-orchestrated systems that avoid what she calls "the Madonna mess." More»