Madonna Sued By Raising Malawi Charity Workers

According to Reuters, the workers claim they were unfairly dismissed and have not been paid benefits. The lawsuit was filed with the Industrial Court.

On Thursday the New York Times reported that plans were officially called off to build the $15 million school for girls. The school would have provided an education for about 400 girls.

Raising Malawi, which was co-founded by Madonna in 2006, has raised $18 million so far with $11 million donated by Madonna. The charity helps provide food, clothing, shelter, education and medical supplies for the country’s vulnerable children and caregivers. Roughly $3.8 million was already spent on the school’s architects, design and worker salaries.

The organization announced on Thursday that the board of directors has been replaced by a caretaker board, which includes Madonna and her manager. The New York Times noted that Raising Malawi’s executive director left the organization in October after complaints of his management style and cost overruns.

Mzondi Chirambo, the lawyer representing the workers suing Madonna, told Reuters on Sunday that the singer had 14 days to respond to their concerns. The workers include the chief executive of the school, people that taught Jewish Kabbalah mysticism and others connected to the school project.

“Their employment was terminated by the trustees of Raising Malawi Academy for Girls ostensibly following the change of plan not to build the school as planned,” Chirambo said.

“My clients are also being forced to sign a discriminatory termination agreement before they are paid their benefits.”

In a statement issued on Thursday, Madonna said she still wants to use Raising Malawi to help children in need.

“There’s a real education crisis in Malawi,” she said, according to the New York Times. “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.”

Click here for the Reuters story.

Click here for the New York Times story.