Madonna 'donated £12 million to Malawi'
Madonna 'donated £12 million to Malawi'
Madonna donated £12 million to help children in the poverty-stricken African state of Malawi before being granted permission to adopt a second child from the country, it has been reported.
Published: 8:23AM BST 13 Jun 2009
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Mercy's father, James Kambewa, has written a letter to lawyers asking for a permanent injunction against Madonna adopting his daughter Photo: REUTERS
Madonna and her adopted son David Banda Photo: REUTERS
The country's Supreme Court of Appeal overturned a previous ruling that stopped the pop star from taking four-year-old Mercy James to the United States.
The 50-year-old singer said she was ecstatic with the news and added: "My family and I look forward to sharing our lives with her."
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Madonna learned of the development in a 3am phone call from her lawyer in Malawi.
Alan Chinula rang her in New York after the supreme court overturned the previous ruling.
Speaking from outside the court, Mr Chinula, said: "I was just through to New York and it is the early hours but Madonna has been awake waiting for news. She was ecstatic.
"I'm now waiting for instructions to start preparing for Mercy's travel arrangements."
The Daily Mirror reported on Saturday that the singer has donated £12 million to fund six orphanages in Malawi as well as paying for shoes, clothes, books and mosquito nets for impoverished children in the country.
Madonna has already adopted her three-year-old son named David Banda from Malawi.
Malawi's Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo ruled that Mercy, whose Malawian name is Chifundo, will receive a better life with the star than remaining in the impoverished state.
Mercy's uncle Peter Baneti said the family welcomed the ruling and added: "We hope Mercy will be joining Madonna soon."
The judge said: "Madonna has been judge to be a compassionate, intelligent and articulate person. Her adoption of Mercy James is not a selfish act."
Madonna's previous attempt to adopt Mercy failed when a judge in a lower court said the singer did not satisfy rules that required the star to live in Malawi for 18-months before she could be allowed to adopt the youngster.