A Malawian court recently rejected Madonna's bid to adopt a child named Chifundo, a name that translates from the Chichewa as "mercy". The court rejected Madonna's application because of her failure to meet residency requirements. She will appeal the decision.

An article in the Guardian titled Hooray for the Malawians who stood up to the Material Girl by Catherine Bennett, addresses some of the issues surrounding Madonna's adoption strategies in Malawi.

Ms Bennett's article provides interesting insights:

Save the Children was more bothered by a personal selection process which appears to be based on surveying the contents of orphanages funded by Raising Malawi, a charity Madonna co-founded with senior members of the kabbalah enterprise. "What Madonna is doing is verging on a puppy parade," said a spokesman. "People like her are looking for the most beautiful child."

Part of the deal when Madonna adopted David Banda was that the child should maintain contact with his biological father. But at their first reunion David didn't even recognize his father and asked "Who are you?".

There are other criticisms also:

Madonna's commitment to "an ongoing relationship with David's Malawian roots" has not, her critics noticed, extended to employing a nanny who could speak to him in the language spoken by his birth family and prospective sister.

There are those who believe that Madonna has been using her celebrity and wealth in order to short circuit the usual adoption procedures.

Mavuto Bamusi, of the Malawi-based Human Rights Consultative Committee described Madonna as a "bully": "She has money, she has status, she is using her profile to manipulate the procedures."

Africa has a troubled legacy of colonialism and throughout recent centuries it has been a target for those who sought to exploit its people and its resources. It's hardly surprising that some react negatively to the spectacle of the Material Girl jetting in on a mission to adopt another child, before jetting out again.

In the case of Mercy James, the child Madonna hoped to adopt, there are living family members who with some modest assistance could raise the girl in Malawi.

Link here for Catherine Bennett's article in the Guardian