Madonna Promises Electricity to Malawi Village
Fri, October 30, 2009 
Madonna continues her trip in Malawi, photographed here with her children, visiting the Mphandu la Orphanage in the Namitete area outside Lilongwe, Malawi on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009.
Speaking in Mphandula, about 30 miles from Malawi’s capital of Lilongwe, where Madonna broke ground earlier this week for her girls academy, the philanthropist and activist promised to bring electricity to the village. “I know you work in darkness. I will bring you electricity.”
Madonna’s Raising Malawi charity already has donated $500,000 for a child care center in the village that feeds and educates 3,000 orphaned children.
Earlier this week, Madonna posted a fundraising appeal on Huff Po, also asking viewers on her YouTube video to support her goal of ending the poverty and hardship endured by Malawi’s 500,000 - one million orphans, most of them losing a parent to AIDS. Madonna is matching contributings dollar for dollar.
Raising Malawi with Madonna - You Can Help
Madonna waves as she leaves the Home of Hope in Mchinji, Malawi Photograph: SIPHIWE SIBEKO/ReutersIn what has become a truly unfortunate photo, Madonna was pictured washing her hands with a sanitiser gel, leaving the village. In the age of swine flu, where governments like Saudi Arabia are worried about a pandemic at next months’ Hajj pilgimage to Mecca, the visual of Madonna waving bacterial gel in her hand was badly received in a blogosphere and British press that loves to hate her.
Amid charges of Madonna being false in her Malawi gestures, I’m personally disappointed in the ‘haters’, who seem to suggest it’s paternalistic of her to be doing good work in Malawi, or if she does, no press should know about the event.
I supposed that I should mention also that some of the children call Madonna their ‘god’, when she visited an orphanage. This fact also landed like a lead balloon
Yet, most every charity turns to celebs and global ambassadors to PR their activities. I say, let the haters get their own backsides out of their computer chairs and into the trenches. But that’s just my opinion. Smile. Anne
Reader Comments (4)
The charity 'Raising Malawi' (PR firm) founded by Madonna AND TWO OTHERS over three years ago held fund raisers for over two years before finally getting registered as a non-profit. In other words, Madonna and the others were free to squander the lion's share of that funding any way they saw fit for those first two years. She also pleaded with her fans worldwide for donations along the way. In the meantime, she toured the world to promote her latest CD and raked in another $280,000,000 gross in just over 12 months. To date, the basic financial info for 'Rasing Malawi' still hasn't been posted on the website or anywhere else. The 'progress' page only tells of the collective works by over 20 seperate charities. Each of which have their own sources of funding and may have recieved some sort of promotion or support from 'Raising Malawi' in order to be considered 'partners'. But no indication is made how much of their funding came from 'Raising Malawi' or how much of their progress if any could be directly attributed to 'Raising Malawi'. The fans/donors have no clue how many millions of dollars were raised in that first two years, no clue how much Madonna herself chipped in, and no clue how the money was spent before they finally registered as a non-profit. No clue what tiny little fraction of funding or works listed on that 'progress' page could be directly attributed to 'Raising Malawi'. Nothing to go on but the vague word of Madonna. The vague and very misleading word of Madonna. For example: She states in her latest promotional video that she will match any contributions made to her charity (PR firm) "dollar for dollar". However there is a disclaimer posted on the website for 'Raising Malawi' that Madonna's total contribution will not exceed $100,000. Thats not per donation. Thats a maximum of $100,000 TOTAL. Less than a single days pay for Madonna. Also much less then she will surely rake in by promoting her own CDs, DVDs, and 'for profit' merchandise through this massive worldwide publicity stunt. So I called the office of 'Raising Malawi' in an attempt to verify some sort of efficient financial operation (310) 867-2881 or (888) 72-DONOR). These details are ALWAYS made available by legitimate charities to their potential donors. But not in this case. I got nothing but recorded messages and hangups. So I did some research on my own. 'Rasing Malawi' still hasn't been given any kind of rating by ANY independent charity watchdog like Charitywatch.org. The vast overwhelming majority of 'celebrity' foundations never are. In general, they are inneficient and riddled with corruption. Like the promotion of CDs, world tours, commercial websites, entire lines of jewelry (not just the single piece from which proceeds are donated), and high end fashion retail flagship stores. Celebrity foundations are also notorious for squandering much of their funding on travel and super high end accomodations for their celebrity figure heads. Its legal even for a nonprofit but not noble or efficient by any stretch of the imagination. In general, 'celebrity' foundations are a twisted inefficient mutant of charity, self-promotion, and PR crap. They actually compete for funding with more efficient legitimate charities who do more work with less money. Its a sham. So if its not rated, then don't support it. Instead, support a top rated charity like any of those given high ratings at Charitywatch.org.
Note from Anne. John speaks from his own point of view. To the best of our knowledge, there is no reason why readers should not support Madonna's Raising Malawi foundation and we follow this matter carefully. In the event that we read about any irregularities in Madonna's activities, we will share them with readers.
Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista gave the foundation $7 million on Madonna's recent trip to Brazil.
Presently, I personally endorse Madonna's efforts anywhere in the world 110%. It's my personal belief that our Smarty Pants crowd will get much more done, than has been achieved to date in a staggering number of charities.
The fact that a charity is run not by celebs has NOTHING to do with its efficiencies. I argue that the problems are potentially greater.
John is correct to suggest that one investigate charities before supporting them and we will be evaluating the best sources of that information for our readers. Anne
Well then. If you had investigated this particular foundation (PR firm) before spouting off with half-wit glorious praise, you would have discovered that at least 3.7 million remains unaccounted for. In fact, there has been no efficiency progress report of any kind after 3 full years of fund raising. Not one single word about efficiency or even specific costs. Only the repeated pleads for our donations and vague promises to 'raise Malawi'. If by 'smarty pants' crowd, you refer to celebrities and their respective humanitarian efforts as efficient, you better think again. There are literally dozens, maybe even hundreds of celebrity foundations already. Contrary to popular belief, the celebrity figure heads are almost never the primary donors. Certainly not in this case with multi-hundred millionaire Madonna or her politician partner in crime Michael Berg. They are also not known for efficiency. Of all the celebrity foundations out there, only a few have been well rated by any independent watchdogs. This particular foundation (PR firm) is not on that short list. As far as your vague belief that celebrities 'get more done', like I said. Think again. Well rated charities actually get more done with less money. Its well documented. For example: Children International has been top rated for years. In fact, they have been working in Malawi for years with actual itemized progress reports to prove it. Tell you what. Direct me to the independent review of this foundation (PR firm). If its been well rated, I'll apologise right here in writing. I'll say it in advance. Thats what I thought.
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DIRECT MESSAGE FROM ANNE
Anne here: my response to John's message follows, but I do want to intervene here to clarify several misleading statements that he's leaving all over the Internet about Raising Malawi. I've done a bit of researching since he left his message earlier today and I wrote my initial response.
John writes that $3.7 million's being received by Raising Malawi that's unaccounted for. This seems be his version of this Fox News headline from March 31, 2009, written by Roger Friedman: Madonna's Missing Millions
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2009/03/31/madonnas-missing-millions/
"They brought UNICEF on board to give the event a feeling of legitimacy. But in the end, the efforts expended were for Raising Malawi, an organization founded by the Kabbalah Center of Los Angeles. Raising Malawi teaches the Kabbalah curriculum, called Spirituality for Kids, to Malawi orphans."
This is not true, if you read second blog post.
I'm sure that John knows that Richard Friedman brought some clarification to this issue of a joint fundraiser with Gucci, Raising Malawi and UNICEF and the $3.7 million.
http://showbiz411.blogs.thr.com/madonna-raising-malawi-kabbalah-alex-rodriguez/
In fact, Raising Malawi and UNICEF split the money, with RM receiving about $300,000 more. In round numbers, Gucci turned over about $2 million to Raising Malawi and $1.7 million to UNICEF.
After a brief clarification of the errors in the above writing, Friedman than goes on to a relentless acerbic attack on Madonna, one that's equally filled with innuendo about Madonna's income and how she spends her money -- which frankly, is none of his business and certainly not mine.
It's similar to the one John left about Madonna in his first comment.
I'll be honest in stating publicly that sanctimonious writers like John scare the heck out of me. I was stalked for almost a year by a man who threatened to kill me, sent me butchered animals in boxes and my doorstep, send me rope to hang myself and jumped on the hood of my car on a dark night -- because he didn't like my point of view on women's rights. This happened in Buffalo, New York, where passionate people kill you when they don't agree with your values -- legal or not.
This man heard me on TV as part of a panel. I was under Buffalo police protection for most of that time. It took me almost three decades to begin writing publicly again, the experience was so upsetting to my marriage and sense of personal security.
I freely admit that Fox News guys don't like me, and I won't be sidetracked by them. We have a fundamentally different approach to our personal values and the place of women in the world. I grant them their right to their own views but I do ask them not to spread false information on A of C. We have an excellent Google rank and an exploding readership because of our calm, accurate, researched approach to information.
My energy will be spent supporting the vast majority of our readers who share my view, and not defending Madonna against Fox News.
If you notice, John ended his statement with an offer to apologize for a false accusation against Madonna, but then answered it simultaneously:
"Tell you what. Direct me to the independent review of this foundation (PR firm). If its been well rated, I'll apologize right here in writing. I'll say it in advance. That's what I thought."
He answers his own overture with "That's what I thought."
Perhaps rather than leaving false information all over the Internet, John should actually dig in to the truth of information. It took me 5 minutes to disprove his statement that $3.7 million is missing from Raising Malawi, by quoting an update from his source.
The Internet also says that Raising Malawi's IRS foundation-status documents have been submitted. I will still follow up with Raising Malawi organization, as I promise later in the thread. John has actually increased my commitment to Madonna and her work. Smart Sensuality women don't like getting pushed around by Fox News guys. Enough said.
My initial response to John's comment follows. ANNE
Note in advance to John. I will not post another comment from him or anyone else, without a name and email address. It will be removed. In John's case, he will answer my email questions about his comment, before I post it.
I am a very transparent, public person and John must stand up for his convictions publicly and not behind anonymity.
He leaves this anti-Madonna message all over the Internet on posts that aren't even targeted to this subject. Here's one:
http://livefromnewyorkitssaturdaynightlive.blogspot.com/2009/10/january-jones-joseph-gordon-levitt-to.html
http://www.playlifemania.com/2009/10/madonna-raising-malawi.html
With the exception of his accurate challenge on the $100,000 sum on the matching donations claim, there's nothing else he offers to support his statements about Raising Malawi, Madonna, Rabbi Berg.
It seems that the $3.7 million he refers to was part of a Feb. 2008 joint fundraiser for Unicef and Raising Malawi. RM didn't receive $3.7 million.
http://www.ecorazzi.com/2008/02/07/the-un-gets-a-time-out-over-madonna-hosted-charity-event/
The purpose of our Smarty Pants channel is not to endorse celebrity charities in general, a fact John seems to not understand. Everything at A of C is curated and tracked in depth.
I am promoting the efforts of a select group of people, especially women who are role models on many fronts. They will include ongoing features on: Queen Rania, Madonna, Shakira, Oprah, Bono, Bill and Melinda Gates, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Howard Buffett and others I choose to write about..
This is my website, and with all due respect to John, I can support and promote the charities of my choice. I'm on record saying that on a long-term basis, I'm committed to microloans for women, via The Grameen Foundation, In time, this will become the focus of Anne of Carversville's fundraising.
Rabbi Michael Berg and his wife are the founders of The Kabbalah Center in LA. Rabbi Berg accompanied Madonna to South America to following the progress of new learning centers in Brazil.
http://www.kabbalah.com/
A read of Madonna's Smarty Pants articles will inform you of all these details.
I wrote this morning about the trend in philanthropy towards more hands-on projects and not mere writing of checks to donor organizaions. Charities, foundations and NGOs of many names do not run effective programs. We're also seeing a major change in fundraising away from pure donations of aid dollars.
http://www.anneofcarversville.com/big-givers-blog/2009/12/6/big-donors-giving-less-are-more-involved-want-measureable-re.html
The focus going forward is on the education of girls in particular and microloans to women, in particular. Anne of Carversville supports women's initiatives that emphasize these goals.
My focus is on working with men who don't call women "half wits" as John just called me. He reminds me of the 70s guys who subordinated women's issues to global political ones, telling women to trust them, Women lost, worse than ever. In many parts of the world aid dollars have accomplished nothing in 50 years. Over a trillion dollars has left Africa worse off.
The days are over. Women are now making their own decisions about philanthropy investments.
In the case of Children's International, the charity that John mentions, it hasn't suffered a loss of donor support this year as most have.
Forbes ranks the charity 142 on its list of 200 charities, based on fundraising eficiency, charitable commitment and donor dependency.
http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/childreninternational/40363/
Anne of Carversville readers are free to support any charity they wish. I'm free to support and advance any charity or individual that I want. The last I knew freedom of choice is available in America in terms of the charities I support.
The tone of these emails reminds me of patriarchal attitudes that believe women aren't capable of making their own decisions. Trust me, John. We can. You've had enough anti-Madonna space on the website. If you have a genuine piece of information that reveals corruption or documented evidence about unethical actions at Raising Malawi, kindly send it to me in Contact Anne, and I will followup specifically.
For readers, not John, I will contact Rabbi Berg and those involved with Raising Malawi and will see what information is available on Raising Malawi. Anne