Children at the church-run Home of Hope orphanage in Mchinji, a village near the Zambian border, sang and recited lessons for the pop star, while her daughter, Lourdes, took video footage.

Madonna was visiting to oversee her charity projects in the impoverished country.

When she visited last autumn she took custody of the then 14-month-old David Banda, who was in Home of Hope after the death of his mother.

The move sparked controversy and raised concerns that regulations were being swept aside to benefit a pop star who has been generous to the country.

Madonna maintains she has followed the law.

The star’s security and police tried to stop journalists and onlookers from entering the orphanage compound today but villagers, mainly children, clambered over the wall and rushed in.

The orphanage has been the scene of much excitement in recent weeks with the road leading to it graded, new flowers planted and new uniforms for the children.

Madonna aims to provide food, education and shelter for up to 4,000 children in Malawi, which is among the poorest countries in the world.

Rumours that the celebrity was to start the process of adopting another child on this trip have been strongly denied.

Madonna in visit to Malawi - April 16 2007
Madonna arrived in the impoverished southern African country Malawi today to continue her charity work, bringing along her daughter Lourdes and the Malawian boy she is adopting.

After a rest at a luxury lodge in the capital Lilongwe, the 48-year-old toured UN-backed development projects in the small village of Mtanga, where farmers are being helped to grow maize and start fish farming.

The singer, dressed in combat trousers, a khaki T-shirt and black boots, was greeted by singing women and children as she inspected the maize crop and storage facilities and stood by the fish pond.

Her daughter, Lourdes, looked bemused at the crushing poverty in Mtanga which, like most Malawian village, consists of simple dirt huts with no electricity or running water.

Toddler David, who Madonna is in the process of adopting, did not accompany them.

Madonna visited the country last autumn and took custody of the then 14-month-old, who was in an orphanage after the death of his mother.

The move sparked controversy and raised concerns that regulations were being swept aside to benefit a pop star who has been generous to the country. The singer maintains she has followed the law.

Malawian child welfare officials are expected to file a report on the suitability of Madonna and her husband, Guy Ritchie, as adoptive parents after two trips to their London residence in May and December.

Rumours that the celebrity was to start the process of adopting another child on this trip have been strongly denied.

MALAWI MADONNA - April 16 2007
Preparations are under way for a return visit to Malawi by pop star Madonna, who is adopting a child from the southern African country where her charity does work among its many Aids orphans.

The orphanages and care centres she has been involved with have been freshly painted and spruced up while security around the exclusive lodge where the star stayed last year has been tightened.

Madonna’s plans to adopt toddler David Banda sparked an international controversy and raised concerns that regulations were being swept aside to benefit a pop star who has been generous to the country.

It is also not clear whether she will be accompanied by David or any other members of her family.

Rumours that the celebrity was to adopt another child have been strongly denied.