Posted March 27, 201114 yr Madonna-Backed Malawi School Scrapped The star is said to be furious after millions were wasted… Plans to build a school for girls in Malawi have been scrapped after the charity behind the project was accused of wasting money on chauffeur-driven cars and golf club fees. The Raising Malawi Academy for Girls was first announced by Madonna back in 2008 and she lent $11m of her own funds to the organisation. But The New York Times reports that a recent audit of Raising Malawi discovered that $3.8m had been wasted on "outlandish expenditures" including salaries, free housing and chauffeur-driven cars. The board of directors was removed and Madonna and her manager have stepped in to take places on a caretaker board. She has since spoken out to reiterate her commitment to the charity, which is also backed by Gwyneth Paltrow and Tom Cruise. "There's a real education crisis in Malawi," the Hung Up singer said in a statement. "Sixty-seven percent of girls don't go to secondary school, and this is simply unacceptable." Madonna has adopted two children from the impoverished nation – David Banda in 2008 and Mercy James in 2009.
