A MOTHER from North Yorkshire has finally won her two-year battle to adopt an orphan girl from Malawi - without the help of Madonna.
Although the queen of pop publicly supported 58-year-old Joyce Dean in her long struggle, she offered no direct help despite pleas to do so.
But after two years, Mrs Dean, has been able to achieve what Madonna managed to arrange in a fortnight.
And 16-year-old orphan Caroline now has a resettlement visa to live with the widowed charity worker at her home in York.
Mrs Dean met Caroline while doing charity work in Ntonda with the Zambezi Mission UK in August 2005. Caroline had lived alone since she was 11 and her mother died.
Mrs Dean was originally told she would have to live in Malawi for two years before she could give Caroline a home, but following her campaign she has been granted a care order by the Malawi courts.
Following the British Government's decision to grant a resettlement visa, the youngster will soon be arriving in North Yorkshire.
A jubilant Mrs Dean said: "It's brilliant news. It's been a long hard battle that has left me tired and weary.
"I never thought it could take this long but I am delighted Caroline is coming to live with me now.
"You cannot help everybody, but I thought we have to start helping somebody at some time somewhere."
She added: "I have nothing against Madonna adopting a baby but I don't agree with it being one rule for her and one for everyone else.
"It has taken me two years to get to the stage Madonna got to in just two weeks.
"I've been left in limbo for the past two years not knowing if this day would ever come.
"If I was a pop star I wouldn't have been so anxious all this time. It is a huge relief."
The Malawian director for social services, Penston Kelembie, is due to come to England within the next two weeks and Mrs Dean is hoping Caroline will travel with him.
During her struggle, Mrs Joyce secured the same lawyer as Madonna had in Malawi, Alan Chinula, and became friends with Malawian government minister for women and gender, Andrena Machi, who took up the cause.
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