Canva billionaires Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht are investing $150 million in an ambitious experiment that challenges conventional aid by putting cash directly into the hands of Malawi's poorest households.
Since launching the initiative in 2021 through the Canva Foundation and nonprofit GiveDirectly, the couple has expanded what began as a $10 million pilot into the largest unconditional cash transfer program ever attempted in a low-income country, BillionairesAfrica reported.
Instead of building infrastructure or distributing food, the program sends cash directly to recipients via mobile phones, with no strings attached. Each adult receives about $550—an amount that can exceed a year's income for many Malawians.
The initiative has expanded rapidly. After committing $50 million between 2021 and 2023, the couple pledged another $100 million in October 2025, the largest single donation in GiveDirectly's history. So far, more than $52.5 million has reached recipients, with the remainder scheduled for distribution over the next four years.
Early results have been striking. In Malawi's Khongoni sub-district, where every adult received cash, 90% of recipients rose above the extreme poverty line within three months, according to GiveDirectly.
