Young Couple Give No-Strings-Attached Cash Transfers Directly to Malawi’s Poorest

Canva billionaires Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht (who are now married) are investing $150 million in an ambitious experiment that challenges conventional aid by putting cash directly into the hands of Malawi's poorest households.

Cliff Obrecht and Melanie Perkins

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. 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 - which 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. In explaining the initiative, the founders said Canva has always been guided by what they call a "simple yet ambitious" two-step plan.

"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 percent 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."

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.

The organisation also reported a 48% decline in child mortality, a 27% reduction in illness and a 23% increase in school enrolment. More than 139,000 people have benefited from the program.