LOS ANGELES: Madonna on Monday launched a $60,000 fundraiser to support her work with children in Malawi, and had already raised more than $10,000 in the first 24 hours.
The "Rebel Heart" singer, who has adopted four children from the African nation in the past 10 years, said 100 percent of every contribution would go directly to her Raising Malawi foundation's rural orphanage, Home of Hope.
She launched the fundraiser, which will run throughout August, through her Facebook page to mark her 60th birthday on Aug. 16.
"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," Madonna wrote.
"Every dollar raised will go directly to meals, schools, uniforms and health care," she added.
According to her website, more than 200 people had contributed almost $11,000 of the $60,000 target on the first days of the project's launch.
Madonna established the non-profit Raising Malawi in 2006 to provide health and education programs, particularly for girls. In 2017 she adopted four-year-old twin Malawi girls, Esther and Stella, and opened a children's hospital in the country's second-biggest city, Blantyre.
Madonna's family also includes Malawi children David Banda and Mercy James, and biological children Lourdes and Rocco from her previous relationships.
Madonna launches $60,000 Malawi fundraiser to mark 60th birthday
Madonna launches $60,000 Malawi fundraiser to mark 60th birthday
Saudi research backs shift to seasonal forage crops
RIYADH: The National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture, known as Estidamah, has carried out a research program to assess seasonal forage crops in collaboration with agricultural companies in Jouf, Tabuk, Hail, Haradh, and Wadi Al-Dawasir regions.
This initiative aimed to provide sustainable forage alternatives following the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture's decision to end the cultivation of perennial crops by Nov. 16, 2026, to protect non-renewable groundwater, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
According to Estidamah, seasonal crops require significantly less water than perennials, which can consume about 32,000 cubic meters per hectare.
The center said seasonal forages can supply local feed during winter, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 goals for food security and sustainability.
Over three years, the program evaluated 12 plant species and identified seven promising varieties based on productivity and nutritional value.
The findings showed that seasonal winter forage systems achieve yields of 8-15 tonnes per hectare, save about 50 percent more water, and improve soil fertility.
Estidamah has invited farmers and stakeholders to engage through its platforms to support the national transition in the forage sector.
