Canva co-founders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht are putting another $150 million into a direct-cash aid programme in Malawi, expanding what is now being described as the world’s largest unconditional cash transfer initiative in a low-income country. The programme, run through the Canva Foundation in partnership with GiveDirectly, gives money straight to adults with no conditions attached.
A Bigger Bet On Direct Cash:
The new commitment builds on a project that began in 2021 as a $10 million pilot and has since grown into a far larger experiment in poverty reduction. Under the current phase, adults in participating Malawian communities receive about $550 each, with the total funding now reaching $150 million from the Canva founders.
GiveDirectly, the nonprofit running the transfers, says the idea is simple: instead of routing aid through middlemen, supply chains or strict spending rules, just put cash into people’s hands and let them decide what they need most. That approach has made the programme a closely watched case study for development economists and philanthropists alike.
Malawi Becomes The Test Case:
The initiative is focused on Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries, and has already reached a large number of households. Reports say more than $52.5 million has already been distributed, with the rest planned over the next four years.
The early results have drawn attention. In one area, GiveDirectly reported that 90% of recipients moved above the extreme poverty line within three months. Other reported gains include lower child mortality and illness, higher school enrolment and stronger local commerce as recipients spend money in nearby shops and services. One review of the project said every $1,000 transferred generated roughly $2,400 in broader local economic activity, suggesting the impact is not limited to the receiving households alone.
Why Philanthropists Like It:
Perkins and Obrecht’s approach stands out because it rejects the usual charity model of tightly controlled grants and visible infrastructure projects. Their philosophy, and the GiveDirectly model behind it, assumes that people living in poverty are best placed to decide how money should be used, whether that means food, rent, school fees, transport or a small business investment.
The founders have also tied their giving to their larger public commitments. They signed The Giving Pledge in 2021, promising to give away much of their wealth during their lifetimes, and this latest move continues that pattern. The Malawian programme is now being seen as a major real-world test of whether unconditional cash transfers can deliver measurable, lasting development gains at scale.
What The Market And Public Are Watching:
The size of the commitment has prompted fresh debate about whether direct cash is the most effective form of philanthropy. Supporters point to the speed of impact and the reported gains in health, school participation and local spending. Critics of traditional aid are using the Malawi project to argue that cash is often more efficient than shipping goods or building one-off projects that may not match local needs.
“The largest unconditional cash transfer programme in a low-income country continues to expand in Malawi.”~GiveDirectly
“Canva founders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht are supporting direct cash transfers in Malawi.”~Canva Foundation
“Canva’s billionaire co-founders started a cash transfer initiative in Malawi in 2021 – now, they’re giving another $150 million in direct cash transfers.”~Tweet from Good Good Good
“Canva Founders are sending $150 million in cash directly to Malawi’s poorest.”~Impact Newswire (@ImpactNewswire)
For Perkins and Obrecht, the Malawi project is more than charity. It is a bet that trust, cash and local choice can do more for poverty reduction than the usual top-down aid playbook.
