Canva co-founders and billionaires Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht have committed $150 million to a large-scale initiative that seeks to transform foreign aid by giving cash directly to some of Malawi’s poorest residents.
The programme, launched in 2021 through the Canva Foundation in partnership with nonprofit organisation GiveDirectly, has grown from an initial $10 million pilot into what organisers describe as the largest unconditional cash transfer project ever carried out in a low-income country.
Rather than funding infrastructure projects or supplying food, the initiative sends money directly to recipients through mobile phones without conditions attached.
Each adult receives about $550, an amount that is more than the annual income of many people in Malawi.
The project has expanded significantly over the past few years. After donating $50 million between 2021 and 2023, Perkins and Obrecht announced an additional $100 million in October 2025, the largest single contribution ever made to GiveDirectly.
Explaining the motivation behind the programme, the Canva founders said the company has long been guided by a two-step vision.
“Step One is to build one of the world’s most valuable companies. Step Two is to do the most good we can. With more than 30% of Canva’s value (shares) committed to doing good in the world, this vision has shaped everything we do, from the products we create to the kind of company we’ve strived to be.”
According to GiveDirectly, more than $52.5 million has already been distributed to beneficiaries, while the remaining funds are expected to reach recipients over the next four years.
The organisation said early outcomes have been encouraging. In Khongoni sub-district, where every adult qualified for the payments, about 90 per cent of recipients moved above the extreme poverty line within three months.
GiveDirectly also reported a 48 per cent reduction in child deaths, a 27 per cent decline in illness, and a 23 per cent increase in school enrolment. More than 139,000 people have benefited from the programme so far.
Researchers found the initiative also boosted local economies. One study concluded that every $1,000 transferred generated approximately $2,400 in economic activity as recipients spent and invested the funds within their communities.
The study also found no evidence that the large-scale cash transfers caused inflation, with local markets adjusting to the increased spending.
