Madonna Promises Light for Malawi Village

The Singer Promised Electricity to a Village in the Impoverished Country Where She Runs a Charity, Adopted Two Kids

(CBS)  Madonna has promised electricity to a village in Malawi, the impoverished southern African country where she runs a charity organization and from which she has adopted two children.

Speaking in Mphandula, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, the singer said Thursday: "I know you work in darkness. I will bring you electricity."

Photos: Madonna in Malawi
Photos: Madonna in the Mideast

Madonna's Raising Malawi charity already has donated $500,000 for a child care center in the village that feeds and educates 3,000 orphaned children.

Madonna arrived in Malawi on Sunday accompanied by her four children - Lourdes, Rocco, David and Mercy (the singer adopted David from Malawi in 2006, and Mercy in 2009). On Monday, she broke ground for her $15-million Raising Malawi Academy for Girls.

About 500,000 children in this nation of 12 million have lost a parent to AIDS.