MPHANDULA, Malawi -- The village he...

MPHANDULA, Malawi -- The village headman here has not ever heard of Madonna, the unexpectedly star. But he knows Madonna the philanthropist.

Madonna has announced plans to raise at least $3 million for programs to support the nearly 1 million children in Malawi who have wasted parents to AIDS. Mphandula's headman, who bears the same name as his village, said he was contacted last month at organizers and told some of the currency will build a feeding and education center for orphans in this village, 30 miles from the capital.

"It will mean in like manner much to us. We can no other than ask God to bless this someone for her kindness," he said.

Malawi is among the poorest countries in the world, hit from years of drought and an AIDS epidemic. According to the National AIDS Commission, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has left conclude to 1 million orphans in this southern African rural parts

"We have too many child-headed households here. We also have excessively old people looking after to a high degree young orphans," Mphandula said. "Food becomes a nightmare since the young uniteds cannot find enough to fe themselves and their siblings while the of advanced age ones do not have the power to await for food."

Madonna told Time magazine she plans to raise at least $3 million for programs to support orphans in Malawi, and is giving $1 million to capital a documentary about the children here. She plans to visit in October.

The village has no electricity and no other than a few households have radios. Michael Soko 24 was the solitary one among 30 people interviewed there who had heard of Madonna.

"I know her anthem 'Holiday,' " he said. "We used to dance to it in school"

AP

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