DAVID BANDA, MADONNA'S BOY

Madonna to adopt 13-month-old Malawian boy

14 January, 2006
MUMBAI, INDIA

BLANTYRE: Rock star Madonna will adopt a 13-month-old Malawian, reports said.

The Pop diva will adopt David Banda, hailing from Ripunga village, according to the manager of the orphanage where Banda lives.

Thomson John Chipeta, a cleric of the Protestant Church of Central Africa, said the adoption formalities will be over this week.

Chipeta manages the Home of Hope orphanage in Mchinji district, 120 kilometres from Malawi’s capital Lilongwe.

Banda was brought to the Home of Hope just a week after his birth after his mother Marita passed away.
32-year-old Yohane Banda, his father, who is a farmer, could not afford to raise him.

Yohane Banda was quoted as saying by The Sun, UK’s largest selling newspaper, that Madonna was adopting his son whom, he called “Davie”.

Yohan said he knew Davie will be “very happy”. Yohan said David will often visit his “roots”.

Material Girl Madonna lives in London with her own two children. She was in Malawi on Tuesday night according to The Sun.

Madonna, who is now touring Malawi, was shown a number of pictures of boys at the orphanage, and she spotted and developed an affection for David.

The pop diva even took him to the church. Malawian officials meanwhile have declined to comment on the adoption news.

The major hassle seems to be the local law which demands that foreign nationals adopting a local child has to live in the country for at least 18 months. During this period they are also monitored by social workers. But some officials said this could be waived in Madonna’s case due to the publicity this poor African nation expects to rope in through the adoption.