Today Madonna planted a tree at a ground breaking ceremony for her Raising Malawi Academy for Girls in Malawi.

Madonna, who is funding the building of the school, was the guest of honor at the function. The 51-year-old pop star arrived in the impoverished southern African country on Sunday. She brought her four children - biological kids Lourdes and Rocco and Malawian adopted children Mercy and David.

She formed her Raising Malawi charity to help improve conditions for Malawian kids, and the organization is currently building a $13.5 million facility to help educate girls in the capital Lilongwe.

Image © AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi