Madonna Heads Up Girls’ School in Malawi

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Madonna’s on the warpath again, but this time it isn’t Sticky and Sweet. It’s closer to dry and dusty, if you want to get technical.

She’s attached her name to a cause besides Kabala: The Raising Malawi Academy For Girls, in Malawi.

A video message to fans

A video message to fans appeared on her official site this week, asking for support in the effort that she got involved in following the adoption of her son, David Banda, from the area earlier this year.

“After witnessing the potential of Malawi’s girls firsthand, I made it my mission to give them an opportunity to become their personal best,” she said.

“There are very few girls in Africa in general who are encouraged or allowed to go to secondary schools so, after spending a lot of time there, I realised that one of the ways I could help was to build a girls school.

“I would be really grateful if you would get involved and help me in any way you can with donations, spreading the word, visiting my website, reading about the progress we’ve made so far.

“Please visit our website. I would appreciate any help you could give us,” she said in closing.

An uncomfortable mixture

I did-and was left with an uncomfortable mixture of encouragement and dismay, with a bit of guilt and responsibility thrown in.

The foundational values that drive the school, as listed, were innocuous, and typical of such an institution: Purpose (”We envision and pursue a better future for ourselves and for our country”), Excellence (”We know that by giving our best, we become our best”), Spirituality (”We care for others at least as much as we care for ourselves”…sounds familiar?), Courage (”We overcome fears and challenges with grace, integrity, and human dignity”), Responsibility, Cooperation, and Equality.

All very great and good things

All very great and good things. But as I wandered past this into the “Spirituality For Kids” section of the site, which outlined a wholly inadequate and even counterproductive set of beliefs (not “universal human values,” as they were called), was saddened. While showing the girls love cannot be anything but positive, these instructed values could never be as wholly benign as they endeavour to sound.

To fill their hearts with false hope that ‘working at it’ and ’staying positive’ will be enough to turn their lives and their country around-I cannot think that this is superior even to no spiritual guidance at all. The world will enter a new phase eventually, and be forced to acknowledge the absurdity of considering all spirituality equal to all other spirituality.

A call to action

But the description of the girls’ need was the kind that moves to action-and shame on us if we don’t do what can be done for communities like these with needs like theirs.

“For some as young as 12, passage into womanhood comes with harmful, sometimes deadly, cultural practices that include rape, incest, genital mutilation, and other forms of gender-based violence,” says the school site.

“An estimated 14.5% of girls between the ages of 15-24 are HIV positive and hundreds of thousands of these young women are experiencing food shortages. As a result of these hardships, the average life expectancy for a woman in Malawi is 35-years young…”

Umunthu: “I am because we are”

The piece continues by briefly explaining the function of the school:

“Founded on the spirit of Umunthu (Chichewa for “I am because we are”), the Academy is dedicated to inspiring within each student a sense of global and individual responsibility.

“In preparing students for higher education, professional success, and responsible leadership, the Academy expects these young women to challenge themselves, educate others, serve society and promote peace.

“The Academy provides the means for impoverished girls to realize the full range of their intellectual, spiritual, creative, and human potential; to act as examples of girls’ empowerment and gender equity; to foster Malawian cultural pride and responsibility; to provide innovative opportunities for sustainability; and to raise the nation of Malawi and its people to abundance and lasting health.”

Sounds good, huh?