Malawian Officials Praise Madonna  11/10/06

Two senior Malawian officials have praised Madonna for adopting a child from their country and slammed those who have criticized the pop star.

The singer, 48, and husband Guy Ritchie were granted an interim adoption of 13-month-old David Banda last month (OCT06), setting off a media storm. from the African country have set off a media storm.

Banda's mother is dead and he was living in an orphanage, but his father is still alive. Some critics have said it would have been better for the child if Madonna had helped his impoverished father, Yohane Banda, to care for him in Malawi.

The star says Banda refused her offer of financial assistance to help him keep his son.

Education minister Anna Kachikho said during a visit to a school Thursday (09NOV06), "What Madonna has done is great.

"Here is Madonna who has picked a son from a Malawian father who has lost his wife and nobody takes care of, and she says, 'I would like to educate and bring home that child.'

"I am against whatever people are saying against Madonna, if there is credit to give we should credit Madonna because she is saving the life of this young David.

"Why condemn Madonna? We should thank Madonna."

Foreign Affairs Minister Joyce Banda, no relation to the boy, said Madonna's charity, Raising Malawi, has helped several thousand children in the south east African nation.

She adds, "On top of all that she has opened up her home to this one child.

"So it's not just David, it's about her reaching out to Africa, to a country called Malawi, to empower 4,000 children which not many people have done. So the Malawi government is grateful."