Madonna Back Into Malawi’s Good Graces, Meets With President Mutharika
This material girl has proven to be not only an icon of pop but also a pillar of philanthropy, due to her continued altruistic generosity displayed to her adopted children’s native country of Malawi.
Madonna journeyed to Malawi over the past week with her two adopted Malawi-born children, Mercy and David. The purpose of the trip was for the opportunity of both Madonna and her children to meet Malawi’s current leader, President Peter Mutharika.
Madonna has been a continuous support to the country’s childcare and educational institutions since her first trip to Malawi in 2006. As CBS News relays, ” She funds a number of orphanages and schools in the country. On Thursday she helped open a new 50-bed pediatrics ward in the commercial capital, Blantyre, that she helped fund.”
The Friday meeting with President Mutharika was of great importance to the pop star, after Madonna reportedly had a falling out with Malawi’s previous president, President Joyce Banda.
According to the Telegraph, the fallout was a result of Madonna canceling construction of a $15 million academy “amid allegations of mismanagement.” Banda allegedly then stripped the pop icon of her VIP status, and Madonna was therefore forced to board a plane back home as an ordinary passenger.
Upon meeting President Mutharika, the Los Angeles Times reports the pop star graciously stated, “Thank you for welcoming me here. I was a big fan of your brother. He was very kind to us.”
Madonna was making reference to the president’s brother, Bingu wu, who recently passed away. President Mutharika then thanked Madonna for bringing her children back to their country of birth.
Following the public meeting, Panapress indicates that Madonna and the president carried on conversations in a closed-door meeting, followed by the singer then meeting with First Lady Gertrude Hendrina Mutharika.
Madonna’s 12-member entourage for the lengthy journey, which still continues, includes sons Roco John Ritchie and David Banda, and daughter Mercy Chifundo James. Older daughter, Lourdes, stayed home.
Interestingly enough, as the Los Angeles Times indicates, the same day that the 56-year-old queen of pop was visiting orphanages as well as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, her latest single “Rebel Hearts” was leaked online.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Madonna did not fail to rebuild the bridge back into the good graces of the nation of Malawi.
“Mutharika’s spokesman said that the country appreciates the singer’s philanthropic work and, during their discussion, ‘Madonna displayed much commitment in helping to build more classrooms in schools across Malawi.'”
[Feature image courtesy of the Daily Mail UK]
