Madonna today announced a partnership with Facebook and global payments company Ripple to activate her fans, kick off a month-long celebration of her 60th birthday, and raise funds for orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi. The fundraiser, which benefits Madonna’s foundation Raising Malawi, is hosted on her Facebook page and will run from July 30 through August 31. Fans can choose to donate directly to Madonna’s fundraiser and/or start Facebook Fundraisers of their own to mobilize their social networks in support of the cause.

The fundraiser utilizes Facebook’s charitable giving tools, which charge no processing fees, meaning 100% of every contribution goes directly to Raising Malawi’s work at Home of Hope orphanage, located in a rural, high-need area of Malawi.

As a company that cares deeply about giving back and eliminating barriers that keep marginalized populations from fully participating in our global digital economy, Ripple has announced it will be matching all donations to Madonna’s fundraiser. 

“I have an unwavering commitment to providing vulnerable children with a loving home. For my birthday, I can think of no better gift than connecting my global family with this beautiful country and the children who need our help most,” said Madonna. “Every dollar raised will go directly to meals, schools, uniforms and healthcare. I want to come together with my friends, fans and supporters to change the lives of Malawian children and let them know they are nurtured, protected and loved. Through their generous match, Ripple is doubling the impact each individual can make.” 
 
“We’re honored to be a part of Madonna’s amazing work with some of the world’s most underserved children and are grateful to our investors at Sound Ventures for making the introduction to us and this important cause,” said Eric van Miltenburg, SVP of Business Operations at Ripple.

In her 10+ years of working in Malawi, Madonna – through her foundation – has served 10,000+ children with schools and education, provided scholarship funding for high-potential youth, launched Malawi’s first paediatric surgery and intensive care unit, and supported 750+ vulernable children annually at Home of Hope.
 
Nearly one million children in Malawi have lost one or both parents to HIV. Life for these orphans and vulnerable children is about day-to-day survival. Inspired by a belief that orphans and vulnerable children deserve more than to “just survive,” Raising Malawi works with local partners to create opportunities for kids to learn, grow and transform their futures.  

Madonna’s fundraiser will run through the month of August to mark the musician and philanthropist’s birthday on August 16. 

About Raising Malawi
Madonna founded Raising Malawi in 2006 to address the poverty and hardship endured by Malawi's orphans and vulnerable children. Raising Malawi partners with local organizations to provide Malawian children and their caregivers with critical resources including education and medical care. http://www.raisingmalawi.org