Look To The Stars News: Raising Malawi

Madonna To Build Schools In Malawi

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Madonna has not forgotten her commitment to help the children of Malawi and has announced plans to build ten new schools in Malawi with buildOn, a deeply respected non-profit organization that has an unparalleled track record of school construction in Malawi.

buildOn has already built 54 primary schools in Malawi and with Madonna’s commitment will greatly expand their work.

Madonna, who is scheduled to perform at this Sunday’s Halftime show, is about to release a new film and a new album still feels passionately about her vow to help Malawi’s neediest children receive an education.

A Charity Message From Madonna

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Madonna, whose Raising Malawi charity has made substantial inroads helping over a million children orphaned from the AIDS epidemic in that African nation, is stepping up the pace considerably on all fronts — especially in regard to her plans for building the Raising Malawi Academy for Girls.

The pop legend has issued the following statement: "I remain deeply committed and am more passionate than ever about helping the children of Malawi — especially the girls. In a country where only 33% of Malawian girls attend secondary school, I realize that the plans we had in place for the Raising Malawi Academy for Girls simply would not serve enough children. My original vision is now on a much bigger scale. I want to reach thousands not hundreds of girls. I want to do more and I want to do it better. While I am grateful to all the people who have given me guidance and support up until now, we are in the process of implementing several changes and additions to the management of Raising Malawi in both the US and Malawi.

“I am also working with Trevor Neilson and his team at Global Philanthropy Group to shift the strategies that we had in place so that we can accomplish our goals with more efficiency as we continue to consult with our government partners in Malawi. This is a larger challenge than I thought, but I welcome it. We are focused on an approach, which builds schools within communities across the country. We are currently determining the size, location, staffing and curriculum of the schools. I will continue to monitor the process of reaching these goals here and through my ongoing visits to Malawi.”

Madonna Sends Christmas Cheer To Malawi

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Madonna continued her generous donations to Malawi over Christmas by sending boxes of gifts to orphanages in the country through her charity, Raising Malawi.

The gifts, which included toys, clothes and chocolate, were accompanied by a note that read “To my Malawi children on Christmas and Boxing Day. I wish I was with you. See you soon, M.”

According to Us Magazine, the iconic singer also held a party at Consol Homes, an orphanage near Lilongwe, where over 1000 people celebrated the season of good will with local orphans.

Madonna Celebrates Human Rights Justice In Malawi

Mon, 31 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Last week, LookToTheStars.org reported that Madonna and Raising Malawi were urging fans to sign a petition requesting the release of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga – the Malawi couple sentenced to 14 years hard labor for the “crime” of homosexuality. After a global outcry – and more than 30,000 signatures – Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has pardoned the couple.

“We celebrate this astounding turn of events with Steven, Tiwonge, and the countless Malawians fighting for their release,” says Madonna. "It is a historic day for Malawi.

“Though they are free from prison, sadly their safety and future in Malawi is still unknown. I hope this is just the beginning of our work together.

Madonna Calls For Support Of Equal Rights In Malawi

Mon, 24 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Madonna – founder of Raising Malawi – is asking her fans to join her in support of equal rights and the freedom to love in the African country following the jailing of two men for 14 years for the “crime” of homosexuality.

“I am shocked and saddened by the decision made this week by the Malawian court, which sentenced two innocent men to prison,” says the singer. "As a matter of principle, I believe in equal rights for all people, no matter what their gender, race, color, religion, or sexual orientation.

“This week, Malawi took a giant step backward. The world is filled with pain and suffering; therefore, we must support our basic human right to love and be loved.

Madonna Returns To Malawi

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:30:00 +0000

Madonna took David – the son she adopted in 2006 – and Mercy, the daughter she adopted in 2009, back to to visit their homeland of Malawi last week.

The family arrived on Monday, April 5th and stayed for five days. Madonna says that she wants to make sure that her children maintain their emotional ties to their homeland. She’s also promised to take family trips to Malawi twice a year.

“Malawi has become my second home,” Madonna said during a farewell event organized by members of Raising Malawi, a charity she established in Malawi. “I will be coming here twice every year.”

Madonna Laying the Foundation for Girls in Malawi

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:31:00 +0000

Madonna is currently visiting Malawi to lay the first brick in the construction of the Raising Malawi Academy for Girls.

The singing sensation writes in her blog on the Raising Malawi site about how she felt when she first visited the poverty-stricken nation, and how much it means to her to be able to support the orphans through her work with the charity.

“Our academy will educate, protect, and empower 450 young girls who are Malawi’s hope for the future. We will stop the brain drain happening in so many African nations—our students will receive an internationally competitive education while incorporating local values.”

Madonna Talks About Her New School In Malawi

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:30:00 +0000

With over a million children orphaned by aids in the small, landlocked country of Malawi in south-eastern Africa, Madonna has made it her mission to help. Her efforts, though, are a response of gratitude.

“They help you to get a sense of appreciation for life, for what you have,” says Madonna of the impoverished, yet resilient people.

In return, she is giving Malawi a school. Through the charity she created, Raising Malawi, she has several projects under way, but her greatest one currently is a $15 million boarding school called the Raising Malawi Academy For Girls, scheduled for completion by 2012.

Justin Timberlake Tops Celebrity Givers List

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Justin Timberlake has been named celebrity charity earner of the year, outstripping favorites such as Bono and Oprah.

According to website The Daily Beast, the SexyBack singer raised $9.3 million for the Shriners Hospitals for Children in 2009. Second place went to Madonna, who raised $5.5 million for Raising Malawi, followed by Pamela Anderson ($4.8 million for PETA), Oprah ($4 million for Oprah’s Angel Network), and Bono ($3.5 for the ONE Campaign).

To read about The Daily Beast’s methods for working out the rankings, and learn the full top 50 – which also features Angelina Jolie, Rihanna, George Clooney and Salma Hayek – click here.

Madonna Promises Electricity To Village

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:30:00 +0000

During her visit to Malawi last week, Madonna promised electricity to a village that has never been able to have power.

“I know you work in darkness,” she told villagers in Mphandula. “I will bring you electricity.”

The singer was in the country – one of the poorest in the world – to oversee the start of construction of a new girl’s school her charity, Raising Malawi, is building.

Madonna In Malawi For New Girl's School

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Madonna is in Malawi to lay the foundation stone of a new girls’ school she is building with her charity, Raising Malawi.

“Our vision for the school is to empower girls to become Malawi’s future leaders,” blogged the singer on the charity’s website. "Our goal is to teach them to challenge themselves, serve their local communities and develop their country. We created this vision in partnership with the local Malawian Ministry of Education, and other educational experts from Malawi, Sub-Sharan African and elsewhere around the world.

“We are developing and using innovative educational approaches, cutting-edge architectural design methods, and other modern technologies, which we hope, will become a replicable model for girls secondary school education.”

Madonna Book To Raise Funds For Malawi

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:30:00 +0000

Madonna’s charity Raising Malawi is launching a new book – I Am Because We Are – and an online auction on April 2nd to benefit children in Malawi, a country of only 13 million people, yet home to over 1 million AIDS orphans.

The auction will kick off with the release of I Am Because We Are, a poignant new book of images and testimonials of AIDS orphans and their families by award-winning photojournalist Kristen Ashburn. The book features images taken by Ashburn for Madonna’s feature documentary of the same name as well as her work documenting the pandemic throughout southern Africa over the last decade. All author proceeds from the book sales and the auction will go to Raising Malawi and The Raising Malawi Academy for Girls.

Ashton Kutcher Praises Demi Moore's Compassion

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Ashton Kutcher has spoken to Tyra Banks about what he finds beautiful about his wife, Demi Moore.

“I think the most beautiful quality that she has is just her capacity to give to others,” said the 30-year-old star. “She’s always thinking about somebody else… The first moment I recognized her beauty was just listening to her talk to her daughters, my stepdaughters over the phone. The compassion she shares. To me was breathtaking. It was the first time I realized how special she was in that moment.”

Both Kutcher and Moore are well known for their charity work, and spent a week together in Central America last year building homes for the disadvantaged. In 2006, Kutcher announced he would donate one dollar to Habitat For Humanity for each of the first 50,000 MySpace users who add him as a friend. The pair also attended Madonna’s gala event at UN Headquarters for Raising Malawi last year.

Madonna To Donate Damages To Charity

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0000

Madonna won a High Court case against the Mail on Sunday and will donate damages to her charity, Raising Malawi.

The singer claimed close to $9 million in damages in a case involving private photographs of her wedding to film director Guy Richie. A court hearing will be held next year to determine the amount of damages she will actually receive.

Madonna’s adopted three-year-old, David Banda, is from Malawi, which in part prompted her to establish Raising Malawi to help children orphaned by the Aids epidemic in the African country.

Madonna Films Video Plea For Malawi

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Pop star Madonna has recorded a short video message about the Raising Malawi Academy for Girls and posted it on her website.

“After witnessing the potential of Malawi’s girls firsthand, I made it my mission to give them an opportunity to become their personal best,” wrote the singer on her website. “I hope you will share my urgency and make a donation today. Every donation counts toward helping impoverished girls to reach their full potential. And every dollar will make a difference.”

The Raising Malawi Academy for Girls is dedicated to providing impoverished young women from all over Malawi with the opportunity to become their personal best. The girls who attend the Academy will develop the skills and character traits necessary to lead their communities from perpetual despair to complete self-reliance.

A-Rod To Donate To Madonna's Charity

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:30:00 +0000

Baseball star Alex Rodriguez – also known as A-Rod – is reported to have made a large donation to Madonna’s charity for children in Malawi.

Rodriguez – third baseman for the New York Yankees – is said to have given $500,000 to Raising Malawi, a charity the singer established to help the African nation’s one million orphans gain access to food, education and medical care.

“Obviously when you’re talking about donors, these are private things,” said the charity’s director, Philippe van den Bossche. “I would never reveal information about any donor.”

Madonna’s Malawi Efforts Get Multiple Recognition

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Malawi is awarding Madonna with citizenship in honor of the work she’s done through her charity, Raising Malawi, for AIDS orphans of the impoverished country.

However, Malawi’s government offices aren’t the only ones noticing Madonna’s work. Michael Moore asked to show her new film, I am Because We Are, at the Traverse City Film Festival and for her to attend the showing in person.

“She said she’d be thrilled to come here and be part of the film festival,” said Moore. “We were pleasantly surprised.”

A Little Madonna Madness

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:05:26 +0000

“Strike a pose, there’s nothing to it, grab a globe, and then donate it to charity…” OK, so it may not rhyme and it may not live up to the songwriting standards of modern music, but it does explain what Madonna is up to over at eBay this week.

Starting today, one lucky bidder will get into the groove and thank their lucky star when the Material Girl auctions off the polystyrene and plaster globe she posed beside on the upcoming May cover of Vanity Fair magazine.

The singer has signed the globe and also drawn a heart around Africa – almost like a borderline. Proceeds from the auction will benefit her Raising Malawi organization, a charity she established to raise money for one of the poorest nations in the world.

Madonna And Friends Shine A Light On Malawi

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:23:58 +0000

If you were to look on a map, you could be excused for missing Malawi completely. Bordered by Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique in South East Africa, the nation of Malawi is shaped like a lightning bolt, with much of its land area covered by a massive lake. But it a country that is in dire need of help, and a host of celebrities turned out to a dazzling evening of fun on Wednesday, February 6, to raise awareness for what is one of the poorest countries in the world.

The gala event was hosted by Madonna on the lawns of the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with the $3.7 million raised going to UNICEF and her own Raising Malawi organization. A long list of stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Lopez, Tea Leoni, Lucy Liu, Billy Joel, Gwen Stefani, and Djimon Hounsou, attended the event, with tickets ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. The evening also featured performances by Alicia Keys, Timbaland, and Rihanna.

“I want to put Raising Malawi on the map,” said Madonna. “I want credibility as a philanthropic organisation. I want to inspire people. I don’t want them to just write me a cheque: I want them to give me a piece of their heart.”

Madonna To Headline Charity Event

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 10:54:12 +0000

One of the most well-known names in show business is teaming up with one of the biggest names in fashion for a fund raising event expected to generate millions of dollars to revitalize the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in the African nation of Malawi.

Madonna has joined forces with Gucci to prove she is not just a material girl, and will headline a special gala and show on February 6, 2008. The event will benefit UNICEF and Raising Malawi, the charity the singer co-founded in 2006, and will focus on ending the poverty and hardship suffered by Malawi’s 1 million orphans, many of whom have had parents die from the AIDS pandemic.

To help with the event, which is expected to raise over $2 million for the cause, Madonna has enlisted the help of her many friends as co-chairs, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Lucy Liu, Salma Hayek, Tea Leoni, Adrien Brody, Arpad Busson, and Francois-Henri Pinault.

Vanity Fair Charity Issue Edited By Bono

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:35:00 +0000

Bono is putting his philanthropic energy into Vanity Fair’s July 2007 special issue about Africa. The issue has 20 different cover photos of high-profile individuals, all taken by renowned photographer Annie Liebowitz.

The magazine includes information about the issues and charities supported by actors, athletes, models, politicians, musicians, activists, and billionaire philanthropists, all of whom are using their celebrity status and the publicity they receive to bring attention to the complex set of problems faced by the inhabitants of Africa.

Africa is a continent with great need, and has been given a disproportionately low amount of attention and aid from wealthy nations. It is the first Vanity Fair issue to have a guest editor, and Bono’s highly publicized commitment to aiding Africa makes him an obvious choice for editor of this issue. In recent years, celebrities have used their status to bring a great deal of attention to Africa.