Jolie and Pitt give to Namibian hospitals

Updated: 2006-05-30 08:22

WINDHOEK, Namibia - Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt celebrated the birth of their daughter in Namibia by donating $300,000 to help other babies in this impoverished southern African country, according to a government statement Monday.

Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, born Saturday at Welwitschia Clinic in Walvis Bay, could get Namibian citizenship, government officials added.

While Welwitschia is private, most Namibians rely on state hospitals like one in Walvis Bay and another in Swakopmund that were to benefit from the celebrity couple's gift. The couple also pledged $15,000 for a school and a community center in Swakopmund. The couple had visited the center during their stay in the country.

Deputy Environment and Tourism Minister Leon Jooste said in the statement the money will be used to improve the two hospitals' maternity wards and will contribute significantly to the health of Namibian babies.

"We want to contribute to Namibia and the people who have been so gracious to us at this time," the celebrities were quoted as saying in the statement.

Pitt and Jolie had retreated to Namibia in April to avoid media attention while awaiting the birth of their third child, and the government here had rallied to them. Officials put tight security around their hotel and the hospital where their daughter was born, set up large green barriers on the beach to shield them from photographers and refused to grant visas to foreign journalists unless they had written permission from Jolie and Pitt to cover the birth. Police have also arrested photographers and confiscated film.

"The couple is thoroughly overjoyed by the event and have expressed their happiness to be able to share this experience in Namibia," said Monday's statement.

In another statement, Jooste's ministry said Namibian law allowed for the newborn to automatically become a Namibian citizen by birth. The statement said the citizenship issue will be discussed with the couple later.

While Namibian officials declined to give any details on the birth, a doctor at the hospital said there were no complications and the mother and daughter were doing well.

"She is a healthy baby," the doctor said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information.

Samuel Nuuyoma, the governor of the Namibian region of Erongo, confirmed the birth at the Welwitschia Clinic in Walvis Bay Sunday and on Monday and told the media that mother and baby were both healthy and doing very well.

"They are just fine, they are enjoying their lives," said Nuuyoma.

Pitt's publicist Cindy Guagenti announced the birth Saturday night, but said no other information or photographs would be released.

Jolie and Pitt were first linked romantically shortly after appearing together in the 2005 movie "Mr. and Mrs. Smith."

Jolie, 30, is a frequent visitor to Africa and serves as goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. She has two adopted children: toddler Zahara, from Ethiopia, and 4-year-old Maddox, from Cambodia. Both had their surnames legally changed to Jolie-Pitt after Pitt announced his intentions to adopt the children as well.

Pitt and actress Jennifer Aniston divorced last fall.

Jolie, who won an Oscar for her supporting role in 1999's "Girl, Interrupted," is divorced from Billy Bob Thornton and Jonny Lee Miller.