Madonna spent Thursday with 50 children at an orphanage in Malawi to get to know the type of children she is set to help by funding a new care centre.

Madonna was rumoured to be visiting the country to adopt a child - with a government official confirming that a one year old boy had been chosen - but she has denied those rumours, insisting she’s just there for charitable reasons.

The star is making a documentary about the AIDS-ravaged country and the 1million orphans, who make up about a twelveth of the country’s population. She is reportedly also raising funds to set a care centre to provide homes and education for up to 4,000 orphans.

Her spokesperson Liz Rosenberg said yesterday: “she’s kind of adopting an entire country of children.”