However, Madonna is no stranger to the process, having adopted 11-year-old son David Banda and daughter Mercy James from the country in 2008 and 2009. She is also mother to Lourdes Leon, 20, and Rocco Ritchie, 16.
In 2006, she founded Raising Malawi, an organization that works to build schools, strengthen hospitals and provide resources for orphans and impoverished children.
Meanwhile, Madonna's family life has not been without conflict in recent years. In September 2016, the actress privately settled a custody battle with ex-husband Guy Ritchie over their son, Rocco. The fight began nearly a year earlier after the teenager refused to return to New York City to live with his mother following a trip to London with his father.
The star made public pleas to her son by way of social media tributes and broke down during a concert in March over her family turmoil.
"There is no love stronger than a mother for her son," Madge told her audience at the time. "And, if I talk about him too much, I might cry. But I would like to dedicate this song to him. It's a love song for a man, but I know he'll be one, one day. I hope he hears this somewhere and knows how much I miss him."