Madonna’s Malawi School-Building Project Collapses After $3.8 Million are Squandered

The school in the African country of Malawi that Madonna’s charity was supposed to build has been abandoned, after it was revealed today that the charity spent $3.8 million without even breaking ground.

This is the major aspect of the restructuring of Rising Malawi, the name of Madonna’s charity, according to The New York Times. The board of directors has been completely wiped out, replaced by a temporary board headed by Madonna herself and her manager.

Madonna, who adopted a child from Malawi, said that she is still completely dedicated to helping the impoverished country. “Sixty-seven percent of girls don’t go to secondary school, and this is simply unacceptable. Our team is going to work hard to address this in every way we can,” she said in a statement.

As for the school itself, the project was projected to cost $15 million and serve as a boarding school for 400 girls.

Co-founder of the Global Philanthropy Group, Trevor Neilson, told The Guardian that the $3.8 million already spent went to “architects, design, salaries, and two cars for employees who had not yet been appointed.”

The Global Philanthropy Group’s report on the school project pointed their fingers at former head of Raising Malawi Philippe van den Bossche and Anjimile Oponyo, who was chosen to be the head of the school. However, neither could comment because of the confidentiality agreements that employees have with Madonna.