Woman who helped Madonna's kid in Laguna
4 November 2010
Woman who helped Madonna's kid in Laguna
By LORI BASHEDA
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The woman who founded the Kondanani Children's Village in Malawi, the orphanage where Madonna adopted her daughter Mercy, will speak about her "powerful story of hope" Friday night at an art gallery in Laguna Beach.
Annie Chikhwaza will be at the Salt Fine Art Gallery from 7-9 p.m. The event is free and refreshments will be served.
Annie Chikhwaza with a baby at her Kondanani Children's Village in Malawi
LORI BASHEDA, CATHLEEN FALSANI
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Chikhwaza is credited with helping pave the way for American families to adopt from Malawi, Africa, a country the size of Pennsylvania with 60,000 kids living on the streets and 1 million orphaned by AIDS.
Her profile was raised after pop superstar Madonna adopted Mercy, now 4, who was raised at the Children's Village orphanage. It was 1998 when Chikhwaza, a native of Holland, took in her first baby in one of the poorest countries in the world.
The gallery is at 1492 PCH in Laguna Beach. There will be a bazaar with Malawian handicrafts for sale.
Contact the writer: 714-932-1705 or lbasheda@ocregister.com