Madonna gives to children in Malawi

Pop music legend Madonna returned to Malawi to do some philanthropy. She presented a check to help build a school at one of the Millenium Villages in Malawi. This is also the country where her two adopted children come from, Madonna claims that Malawi is now her adopted home.

From Afrique En Linge, we read about the check presenting ceremony.

Madonna provided US$ 34,000 to build a primary school for 550 pupils and improve water supply and agriculture in the dusty Gumulira Village in Mchinji, some 120 kilometres west of the capital, Lilongwe.

The 'Millenium Village' also involves improvement of water supply and agriculture "to help villagers realise maximum profits from their toil," according to Prof. Jeffrey, the UN Secretary General's advisor on development issues, who designed the concept.

Apart from Sachs, Madonna was joined by Hans Vestberg, the CEO of global telecomms giant Ericsson. whose company is set to launch a new campaign for worldwide access to education using mobile technology on Tuesday in Malawi.

Madonna, who described Malawi as her adopted country, said she could not believe her ears when a friend of hers told her about levels of poverty in Malawi.

"Many people ask me why I chose Malawi; no, it is Malawi that chose me," she said. "As a mother it is really painful for me to see children deprived of opportunities because of poverty."

Madonna first visited the southern African country in 2006 during which visit she adopted her son, David Banda, now four. Last year she adopted her second Malawian daughter, Mercy Chifundo James, also now four.