Madonna has pulled out of her pledge to build a school for impoverished girls in Malawi, amid questions about her charity's finances.
The singer and her manager took control of Raising Malawi, into which she has pumped £2.5million, after its boss was forced to stand down in October 2010.
And despite donations from a raft of Hollywood pals and the Kabbalah sect, which Madge follows, the project has now been axed.
It is not the first time the charity has been scrutinised. Questions were raised in 2009 when it emerged that donations are handled by the Kabbalah Centre.
African officials are said to be shocked at the decision and have questioned the star's commitment.
But Madge, 52, who has two adopted children from Malawi, last night stressed that she wanted to do more.
She said: "There's an education crisis there that my team is working hard to address."
