LILONGWE, - Pop diva Madonna adopted a young boy in Malawi on Wednesday and moved ahead with plans to fund a center for 1,000 orphans, many of whom lost parents to AIDS in the impoverished African nation.

The “Material Girl” and an entourage arrived in the Malawian capital Lilongwe by private plane early on Wednesday and were quickly whisked away to an undisclosed location in a fleet of cars and trucks.

Government officials said the 48-year-old singer, already a mother of two, chose the one-year-old orphan from among 12 children specially chosen prior to her arrival in the country, which has legions of children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic.

“She asked us to identify boys only, which we have done after visiting four orphanages in Lilongwe,” government spokeswoman Adrina Michiela said. Michiela said Madonna had wanted to adopt a girl but changed her mind two weeks ago.

It was unclear whether Madonna, for whom Malawi waived its ban on non-resident adoptions, would leave the country with her adopted baby or whether they would be reunited at a later date.

The trip has stoked high expectations in Malawi, a nation of 13 million people who are dependent on tobacco exports.

Madonna has said she plans to spend at least $3 million on programs to support orphans in Malawi and another $1 million to fund a documentary about the plight of children in the country.

She travelled to Mphandula, a village 20 km (12.5 miles) outside Lilongwe, where she is funding the construction of the Raising Malawi centre to feed and educate around 1,000 orphans.

Residents in Mphandula, which has no electricity, were earlier busy rehearsing songs and preparing for her arrival.

Critics have described the project as a publicity stunt that follows in the footsteps of other celebrities, including actress Angelina Jolie, who have taken up causes on the world’s poorest continent.

As part of their studies, orphans at the centre will be taught a curriculum based on Spirituality for Kids linked to the Kabbalah school of mysticism to which Madonna adheres.
Copyright 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.

source: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15130858/

I sure hope that this is really coming from her heart.

Can't you like, work on an album instead.

lyecry said:

and if it's not, who cares... kid's doesn't have any parents anyway, and his life'll sure as hell be a lot better than it would otherwise.


i mean, i agree, i hope this is coming from her heart, but it's a win-win for the kid either way

MikeMatronik said:

Ya know, I really don't normally do what I am about to do but the media and "critics" are really some of the most digusting human beings on this earth and I need to rant:

It baffles me how they babble on about celebrities and all their bullshit (and admittedly there's alot to discuss there ) but even when someone in the position to help people, i.e. celebrities/people with tons o' cash, do something positive they have to speculate whether it's a stunt Why do they have to speculate anything??? WHO THE FLIPPITY FUCK CARES?!?!? and honestly, do they really think that someone like Madonna, who was admittedly been an attention whore (I mean it in the most loving way) would be sooooo desperate as to say hey I just haven't got enough attention lately so I'll donate $3 million to build housing in Africa The woman just came off the heels of an incredible successful tour, a great album, and another damn kids book on the way-- bitch got as much attention as she did 20 years ago.

After all the bitching about the prices of her concert tickets, the girl wants to give some back to people who really fuckin need it and yet somehow, some of these same people have to say "i hope it isn't a publicity stunt".

Give me, and people who give to charities for whatever the reason, a gaddamn break.

Tessa said:

so true

lyecry said:

Where the fuck else would it come from????? Her ass???? Well o.k. I suppose it could, she has a very loving ass
Sorry, but this is just the type of comment that gets me panties in a wad. Do you really think she's doing it for any other reason, and if so does it ultimately matter to the 1,000 orphans it will help??

As a fan I could care less about 90% of her personal life. But that's one FUCKING lucky little boy...she shoulda taken a whole family and not split siblings up. Bitch can afford it.

I'm so gald "Jump" is a single tho! Best Madonna track of the 00s. Is it a coincidence this baby adoption thing happened the same week the video premiered?

Just playin'

eleven said:

I'm with you 100%, eleven. I'd like to know how contributing cynicism and doubt about other people's charity motives surpasses funding an orphanage. Accept what people give and leave the motives between them and god.

Who adopts a baby as a publicity stunt anyway? It's not like Madonna is some 25 year old girl who has decided on the spur of the moment to adopt a child. She's late '40s and already has two kids. I'm sure that she's given this matter quite a bit of thought.

And even if she did want some attention from the press, who reallly gives a shit? She's still rescuing a child from abject poverty, and bringing it into unimaginable wealth and privilige.

As far as "Why not adopt a whole village", I hope that was said with some sarcasm. Maybe she should donate money to the village, but how could Madonna raise 12 other children (as well as her own 2) at once? I think it's funny that we all feel like we can dictate how another person spends their money, and what actions are "right" and "wrong" for a celebrity.

MikeMatronik said:

I guess Rocco needs someone to play with.

heartbeatocean said:

Thanks sweetie!
to you too axchi696!

Liz Rosenberg just said the story is fake...

So we can start bitching on madonna like on the good ol' day!

MikeMatronik said:

Better be clear dear, only part of the story is false; the story on adopting the baby.

The $3 million she's donated to build the orphanges is true, which is why she's there right now.

MikeMatronik said:

Most other sources are saying she is thinking about adopting a child. Reuters is just trying cause shit!

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A spokeswoman for Madonna on Wednesday denied claims by officials in the African nation of Malawi that the pop star had adopted a one-year-old orphan boy there.

Spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg called the report "completely inaccurate" but said Madonna was not bothered by it because it would draw attention to the problems of children in the impoverished African nation.

Rosenberg, said Madonna was visiting orphanages in Malawi this week as part of a charitable program to provide care for an estimated 1 million children who are without parents in the southern African nation, many of them suffering from AIDS.

"She has not adopted a child," Rosenberg told Reuters. "She went on a private visit to Malawi ... to participate in the building of an orphanage and several other initiatives that are all under the auspices of an organization called Raising Malawi."

Rosenberg said there was no truth to statements from the Malawian government that Madonna had chosen to adopt a year-old boy from among 12 children specially selected prior to her arrival in the capital city of Lilongwe on Wednesday.

"She asked us to identify boys only, which we have done after visiting four orphanages in Lilongwe," government spokeswoman Adrina Michiela said, adding that Madonna had wanted to adopt a girl but changed her mind two weeks ago.

"None of that is accurate," said Rosenberg, who acts as Madonna’s chief spokeswoman at her Warner Records music label.

Malawian officials were not immediately available for comment on the denial by Madonna.

Asked whether the 48-year-old star, already a mother of two children with her husband, British filmmaker Guy Richie, was making adoption plans or contemplating adopting a child in the future, Rosenberg said, "I have no idea."

Rosenberg said she had spoken to Madonna directly since the adoption story broke and that the singer was not angry about the situation.

"I think that anything that brings attention to the country is fine with her, even if it’s information that’s not correct," the publicist said. "She wants people to pay attention to Malawi and to the 1 million children who don’t have parents and don’t have care there."

Madonna’s trip has stoked high expectations in Malawi, a nation of 13 million people who are dependent on tobacco exports. According to the Raising Malawi Web site (www.raisingmalawi.org), at least 1 million children are orphans in Malawi and about 30 percent of them have AIDS.

Madonna has said she plans to spend at least $3 million on programs to support orphans in Malawi and another $1 million to fund a documentary about the plight of children in the country.

She traveled to Mphandula, a village 12.5 miles outside Lilongwe, where she is funding the construction of the Raising Malawi center to feed and educate about 1,000 orphans.

From www.drownedmadonna.com

badujunkie said:

CinisterCee said:

*predicts kissing performance with JLo and Pink!*