Maguire challenges Madonna on Malawi adoption

Jon Maguire, the chairman of under-fire cru Investment Management, has taken time out from trying to sort out the back-lash from the suspension of his Arch cru fund range to challenge Madonna to a debate on her plans to adopt a second child from Malawi.

Maguire is also an expert on Malawi and his new proposition Africa Invest has invested significantly in the region including over £6m into an agri-business that focuses on the sustainable economic development of Malawi's rural poor via agricultural enterprise.

In his view, Madonna's actions are totally unjustified as he believes there is absolutely no need to start removing Malawi children from their homeland. Madonna hopes to adopt four-year old Mercy from Malawi as a sister for David, who she adopted in 2006.

Maguire says: "Africa Invest has a deep understanding of the reality of childhood in Malawi, creating enterprise through agricultural investment and caring for 2,292 children (orphaned and malnourished), pregnant and breast-feeding mothers, and the elderly associated to our farming communities.

"The issue facing an orphaned child in Malawi has nothing to do with a loving home because their communities are strong; the issue centres on the decision of a parent or grandparent who is inheriting an orphaned child of the family, as to who to feed first. The survival of an orphaned child in Malawi boils down to food, not a home. Our nutritional feeding programme costs us US$4,700 a month which works out at just US$2 per child, per month.

"There is much to admire in Malawi society that has nothing to do with materialism, but has a deep strength in family and village life that we should actually teach to our children, rather than pull another Malawi child out and subject that child to the material values that have so undermined our societies and communities.

"Madonna can point to substantial donations to Malawi, but this does not give her rights over a Malawi child. We have invested, not donated, over £6million into our agri-business that focuses on sustainable economic development of her rural poor via agricultural enterprise. Malawi children are actually very happy children and the thought of educating them into values of the developed world is a deeply retrograde step."

To comment of this story contact: katrina.baugh@incisivemedia.com