Canva's billionaire founders donated $150 million directly to residents of Malawi; aided 90% rise above extreme poverty

Canva billionaires Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht have made a move challenging conventional aid by putting cash directly into the hands of an East African country's poorest households. The cofounders of the Australian design software maker are investing a whopping $150 million into a cash transfer program in Malawi. 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.