April 05, 2013
Madonna concluded her visit to Malawi this week at Consol Homes Orphan Care Center in Namitete. Raising Malawi, a nonprofit organization founded by Madonna, has supported Consol Homes for more than five years, including the recent construction of a power grid that provides electricity at the orphan care center for the first time. Consol Homes supports orphans, vulnerable children and their caregivers through more than 100 childcare centers serving more than 30,000 individuals.
Earlier in the week, Madonna visited two of the 10 schools funded by Raising Malawi and constructed by partner buildOn. The schools are currently supporting more than 4,800 children in Kasungu Province. She also visited long-standing Raising Malawi grantees Crisis Nursery and Home of Hope, community-based organizations that provide critical support to orphans in Malawi.
Additionally, Madonna visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Blantyre and met with Dr. Eric Borgstein, one of the only pediatric surgeons in Malawi, and one of his pediatric surgery trainees, both of whom are supported by Raising Malawi.
'I am so grateful to the people of Malawi for their hospitality towards me and my family during our time here,' Madonna said. I am proud of the programs we support here to assist orphans and vulnerable children, and look forward to continuing to provide them with the resources they need to thrive.'
In addition to her work in Malawi, Madonna will continue to expand her philanthropy worldwide. On 3 April 2013, it was announced that she will auction a painting from her personal collection to support girls' education in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries. The painting is expected to raise $5 to $7 million.