Madonna Asks That You Join Her Raising Malawi Charity
Yesterday we saw photos of Madonna and co. planting a tree and officially breaking ground on the construction of an all girls school in the African country of Malawi (the place where she adopted two of her children). Today, we learn that Madonna has written a blog for The Huffington Post directed at YOU in the hopes that you will join her attempt to enrich Malawi thru her charitable organization Raising Malawi. Here is the full text of Maddy’s blogpost and some screencaps from an accompanying video plea:
This week, my family and I are in Malawi to attend the ground breaking ceremony for Raising Malawi Academy for Girls. I am making a straightforward request. I’m writing to urge you to join me in saving the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable children. And I’m asking you to do it right away. Raising Malawi, the organization I co-founded in 2006, is dedicated to ending the poverty and hardship endured by Malawi’s one million orphans. By donating to Raising Malawi, you can literally transform the future for an entire generation. To encourage your involvement, I’ve pledged $100,000 to match your contributions dollar-for-dollar. Why Malawi? Seven years ago I might have asked myself this very same question. Why not Afghanistan, or India? There are impoverished children, desperate for health care and education, everywhere in the world. Something about Malawi’s children connected with me and their hardships were too much for me to ignore. So I started learning more about Malawi, and, little by little, I began working with Malawians to improve their communities. Visiting Malawi can be a very humbling experience. In the face of such overwhelming challenges, it’s easy to feel helpless. At the same time, it is impossible not to recognize how much we can do to improve the lives of vulnerable children. Right now, I am particularly concerned about Malawian girls whose lives are made even more difficult simply because of their gender. In 2008 Raising Malawi announced the creation of an all-girls boarding school, the Raising Malawi Academy for Girls. Architects have drawn up plans. We’ve identified a plot of land. And some of Malawi’s poorest girls are eager for the opportunities that a comprehensive secondary education will bring them. But we’re still in need of additional funds to complete this project, and there’s no time to lose. My own daughters will each have a solid secondary education. They have a family that assures them that they can be anything they want to be, that they are not limited in any way. I believe that the same should be true for girls in every part of the world, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. The girls of Malawi are bright and resourceful. They are eager to learn and grow. When I look at my girls and see them thriving, it is my greatest wish that the girls in Malawi will have the same chance for happiness. This is where you come in. Please join me in supporting the work of Raising Malawi. Every dollar we collect will make a huge difference in a child’s life. By matching your donation, dollar for dollar, I will personally ensure that your contribution has an even greater impact. That’s a promise. This is my call to you: Give an opportunity to a child who would otherwise have none. Support the work of Raising Malawi. Will you join me? Please visit www.raisingmalawi.org/madonnamatch to contribute and learn more.
As I mentioned above, this blogpost comes complete with a video message from Madonna about her Raising Malawi charity. After the jump, check out that video in full …
I’ve mentioned before how impressed I am that Madonna seems so committed to this endeavor … if you believe in her cause and want to help, I urge you to do so. Say what you will about Madonna’s other projects but this one seems wholly genuine and close to her heart … and it sounds like she could really use your help and support.
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Tags: Madonna, Raising Malawi
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October 28th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
it’s a amazing project ; it will change a whole generation in malawi and hopefully a better future for this country.
i would like to get involved in this project.
October 28th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
I think this is great!!
October 28th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
this is awesome. but, in this economy, it’s going to be hard to get people’s attention.
October 28th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Great Cause, but ummm….. what the hell happened to her face????? Not good. Not good at all.
October 28th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I’m happy that the celebs are willing to support, share, and raise money for these other countries but HELLO! How many people in our own country are homeless and starving?
October 28th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Madonna dreams of Malawi, hahaha. Made me think of this show I saw at the Edinburgh Festival about her this year…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfBlxc0bigE
October 28th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
listen, i want to help girls in other countries as much as the next madonna fan, but c.o.m.e o.n!
i love that to encourage us to donate she is giving $100,000 to m.a.t.c.h our donations. uhhh. hi. she is worth, what, like 500 MILLION dollars? how about giving a million dollars without us matching it? if the endeavor is near and dear to her heart (which i believe it is) then she should put more money where her mouth is.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
I agree with Chivonne – we have children right here in the U.S. that are homeless and don’t know where they are going to get their next meals. Sorry, my dollars will not go overseas when they are needed here!
October 28th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
did anyone not watch that video? our Walmart poor don’t compare with the poor depicted in that video. it’s not about Us vs. Them, it’s about changing the world from the bottom up. these children have NOTHING. no housing, no food stamps, no parents, no future. giving them an education & opportunities to build a life for their communities will change the course of their world & ours. we’re all on this round ball of a planet together.
October 29th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Celebrities have a lot of influence and it’s good to see them using it in positive ways such as bringing attention to worthy causes. There is need everywhere so you have to make choices about how you want to help. Nothing wrong with giving to something that is close to your heart. I suspect Madonna and others in her position make a lot of charitable donations that are not publicized.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:56 am
I too agree with Chivonne. Solve more problems at home and then the country as a whole will be healthier and in a better position to help elsewhere around the globe.
http://www.squidoo.com/hungryinamerica
Try spreading a little here first and while you’re at it, adopt an American homeless child for every foreign country child you adopt.