LOS ANGELES - Singer Madonna is preparing to spend millions of
dollars on projects to help orphans in the African nation of
Malawi, the pop star told Time in an interview released
Thursday.
Madonna, who turns 48 on August 16, is committed to raising at
least three million dollars to help orphans in the southeast
African nation, which has a population of 12 million -- about a
million of whom are orphans -- according to the magazine.
She will also spend about another million dollars to finance a
documentary on the plight of Malawi orphans, many of whom lost
their parents to AIDS.
"For the last few years -- now that I have children and now that I
have what I consider to be a better perspective on life -- I have
felt responsible for the children of the world," the pop queen told
the magazine while taking a break from concerts as she promotes her
latest album, "Confessions on a Dance Floor."
"I've been doing bits and bobs about it and I suppose I was looking
for a big, big project I could sink my teeth into," she said.
According to Time, it is the Kabbalah, the study of Jewish
mysticism, that has led her to carry out humanitarian actions and
follow in the steps of other stars such as actress Angeline Jolie
and U2 frontman Bono.
"One of the main precepts of Kabbalah is that we're put on this
Earth to help people," Madonna told the magazine. "And your job is
to figure out how you can help, and what it is that you can
do."
Madonna plans to travel to Africa in October, Time reported.
- AFP /ls