Madonna Leaves Malawi After Week’s Charity Tour

 
 
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  • Madonna plants a tree at a ground breaking ceremony for her Raising Malawi Academy for Girls in Malawi, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009
  • David Letterman and Madonna tape the ‘Late Show with David Letterman’ outside Ed Sullivan Theater on September 30, 2009 in New York City
  • Madonna plants a tree at a ground breaking ceremony for her Raising Malawi Academy for Girls in Malawi, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009
  • Madonna enjoys a slice at Angelo’s Pizza while she visits ‘Late Show with David Letterman’ at the Ed Sullivan Theater on September 30, 2009 in New York City

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  • AP

    Madonna plants a tree at a ground breaking ceremony for her Raising Malawi Academy for Girls in Malawi, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

  • WireImage

    David Letterman and Madonna tape the ‘Late Show with David Letterman’ outside Ed Sullivan Theater on September 30, 2009 in New York City

  • AP

    Madonna plants a tree at a ground breaking ceremony for her Raising Malawi Academy for Girls in Malawi, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

  • WireImage

    Madonna at Angelo’s Pizza while she visits ‘Late Show with David Letterman’ in New York City

 
 

FIRST PUBLISHED: October 31, 2009 11:43 AM EDT
LAST UPDATED: October 31, 2009 12:10 PM EDT

LILONGWE, Malawi --

Madonna has left Malawi after a nearly weeklong visit with her family, airport and charity officials said Saturday.

Officials said Madonna flew out of the southern African country on Friday. The 51-year-old celebrity arrived in the impoverished country on Sunday accompanied by her four children — daughters Lourdes and Mercy, and sons Rocco and David. Mercy and David were adopted from Malawi.

While in Malawi, she broke ground for her $15 million Raising Malawi Academy for Girls and visited the orphanage that cared for her son David before she adopted him.

Madonna’s Raising Malawi, a charity founded in 2006 when she first visited the country, helps feed, educate and provide medical care for some of Malawi’s orphans.

Malawi, a nation of 12 million, is one of the poorest countries in the world. About 500,000 children have lost a parent to AIDS.

Copyright 2009 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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