Madonna

Madonna has remained the clearest, most insistent and passionately sustained female voice in pop culture around the world. Born in Bay City, Michigan, Madonna rose out of the l980's New York City club scene. She remains a constantly transforming cultural icon and a fact of daily life and has influenced and inspired generations as an entertainer, singer, songwriter, producer, multi Grammy Award winner, documentary film maker, director, video visionary, children's book author, Golden Globe winner and humanitarian. In 2006, Madonna co founded Raising Malawi whose aim is to bring an end to the extreme poverty and hardship endured by the country's two million orphan and vulnerable children. Raising Malawi has contributed significantly to improving the care of orphans and vulnerable children in addition to the availability of health care, education and nutrition. To date, by partnering with organizations on the ground, nearly 66,000 children and caregivers living with disease are receiving life saving treatments and 160,000 children are benefiting from the construction of 159 Community Based Child Care Centers. In 2008 Madonna announced plans to launch Raising Malawi Academy for Girls, an all-girls’ boarding in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe.