Madonna takes children to native home in Malawi

MCHINJI, Malawi - Agence France-Presse

Madonna visits with students at Mkoko primary school in Chorwe, in Kasungu Province in Malawi, in this handout photo taken April 2, 2013, courtesy of Liz Rosenberg Media. REUTERS Photo

US pop icon Madonna on Wednesday took her four children to a famous orphanage in central Malawi, from where she adopted one of them, seven-year-old David Banda.
 
Madonna, who adopted David in 2006, last visited the Home of Hope three years ago.
 
The singer also received reports on how the financial support she has provided the orphanage since 2007 have helped the up to 500 children there.
 
When she adopted David, Madonna promised that she would be bringing him home "to stay connected to his Malawi culture...to keep connected to his cultural heritage".
 
In 2009, Madonna also adopted Mercy James, now aged seven, from another Malawian orphanage.
 
Trevor Neilson, philanthropy manager for Madonna, told AFP the pop diva was "continuing her commitment to ensuring the children feel connected to this beautiful country".
 
Madonna is also travelling with her two biological children Lourdes and Rocco.
 
"There is incredible joy and enthusiasm. The children of Madonna are dancing together with fellow children here. It brings connection to the people of Malawi," he said.
 
Madonna arrived in the poor southern African nation, sandwiched between Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania, on Monday to visit the schools she has built with an organisation called BuildOn. The schools can currently accommodate 4,800 students, but many others still learn under trees.
 
The megastar is also inspecting other charity projects she is funding, including those involved in child care.
 
Madonna, according to Neilson, is the single largest international philanthropic donor to Malawi.

Malawi, where nearly half of the 13 million citizens are poor, has over one million orphans and vulnerable children.