Madonna leaves Malawi after week's charity tour

US pop star Madonna, left, and her daughter Lourdes attend the ground breaking ceremony for her Raising Malawi Academy for Girls in Malawi, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. Madonna who is funding the building of the school was the guest of honour at the function. The 51-year-old celebrity arrived in the impoverished southern African country on Sunday. She was accompanied by her four children — daughters Lourdes and Mercy, and sons Rocco and David. [Agencies]

LILONGWE, Malawi – Madonna has left Malawi after a nearly weeklong visit with her family, airport and charity officials said Saturday.

Officials said Madonna flew out of the southern African country on Friday. The 51-year-old celebrity arrived in the impoverished country on Sunday accompanied by her four children — daughters Lourdes and Mercy, and sons Rocco and David. Mercy and David were adopted from Malawi.

While in Malawi, she broke ground for her $15 million Raising Malawi Academy for Girls and visited the orphanage that cared for her son David before she adopted him.

Madonna's Raising Malawi, a charity founded in 2006 when she first visited the country, helps feed, educate and provide medical care for some of Malawi's orphans.

Malawi, a nation of 12 million, is one of the poorest countries in the world. About 500,000 children have lost a parent to AIDS.

taken from : China Daily