The southern African country of Malawi is not thrilled with Madonna’s plans to build 10 new schools in the area, because they claim she didn’t consult with them first and don’t feel her intentions are pure.
The government feels as though the singer is more concerned with upping her global image than helping with the country’s education, Reuters reported.
Madonna’s charity “Raising Malawi” is teaming up with the non-profit group buildOn for the project that hopes to educate at least 1,000 children per year.
However, Malawi’s Ministry of Education said that the government was “fed up” with Madonna after she scrapped a project in that country last year.
Spokeswoman Lindiwe Chide said that Madonna canceled the building of a girls’ school because of alleged mismanagement and the project going over budget without informing the Malawian authorities.
“Now she decides to announce that she plans to build ten schools without getting authority from us again,” Chide said. “We now feel like this is all about propping up her global image and not in our interest.
“She has no mandate to decide where she wants to build a school because she doesn’t know our needs and where we want new schools,” she added.
Trevor Neilson, the head of Global Philanthropy Group which supports Madonna’s project, countered Chide by saying the accusation was “simply not true.”
“It is surprising that the government of Malawi would object to this support,” he continued,”When only 26 percent of children complete the primary school cycle.”