Madonna plans to adopt child in Malawi, government officials say

"She told us she is looking for a baby boy," said Andrina Mchiela, a senior official with Malawi's Ministry for Gender and Chile Welfare, on Monday. "Her team has identified a few, but the choice is hers."

Photo: Madonna plans to adopt child in Malawi, government officials say

Mchiela also said the pop star planned to launch six projects to help underprivileged children during her stay.

Madonna's publicist, Liz Rosenberg, confirmed that the singer was in the country to work on projects for children and said she had not adopted a baby.

"She is on a private visit to Malawi and is involved in the building of an orphanage-child care center as well as other initiatives to help the children of that country who have lost parents to Aids," Rosenberg told The Associated Press in an e-mail late Wednesday.

"I have no information or confirmation regarding Madonna adopting an individual child. She's kind of adopting an entire country of children," Rosenberg added.

Mchiela told the AP that Madonna and her husband, director Guy Ritchie, would be subject to a probation period required of all prospective adoptive parents.

"After her husband and her fill in the papers, we'll allow them to take him away, not as adoptive parents but foster parents until after the 18-24 months when the government of Malawi will assess whether they are a suitable family," she said. "This is a legal requirement that cannot be fast-tracked."

Madonna and Ritchie have a son, Rocco, 5, and the singer also has a daughter, Lourdes, 9.