英语文摘:Poverty in Malawi "pains" Madonna

BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhuanet) -- U.S. pop star Madonna Monday said poverty in Malawi "pains" her as she returned there to see construction of a school she funded, according to media reports.

The singer is on a trip with her biological daughter Lourdes and adopted one Toddler Chifundo "Mercy" James.

"As a mother, it pains me to see women having no access to potable water and good education," Madonna said after visiting a poverty alleviation project in the Mchinji district where she controversially adopted David Banda in 2006.

U.S. singer Madonna receives flowers as she arrives to lay the foundation of a multi-million dollar girls' school she is building in Chinkota, outside Lilongewe in Malawi October 26, 2009.

Madonna will attend a brick-laying ceremony of a girls' academy she is funding on Tuesday. Construction of the school was delayed because villagers there demanded more money for the land the government had leased to Madonna's charity.

The government forcibly removed the villagers, who were paid 500,000 dollars in compensation by Madonna's charity Raising Malawi.

Madonna has adopted two children form the nation in 2006 and 2009, which triggered an outcry of public opinion. She was accused of getting special treatment from the Malawian government because laws there ban nonresidents from adopting children.