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One of the most important assets is education.   From 2001, SEDI has offered over 3,609 low-income earners the chance to boost their savings so that they could go back to school, obtain skills training, or start a new small business. is the largest project of its kind in the world and is delivered in partnership with the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) and is funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).  

The idea is simple. matches the savings each participant puts aside in an Individual Development Account (IDA), usually at a rate of $3 matched for every $1 saved to a maximum of $1,500.   The matched contribution puts low-income Canadians on an equal footing with higher income Canadians who can afford to put away more of their own money.   As of May 2006, participants have saved over $3.7 million and leveraged over $10 million in matched contributions.   For the goal of education, skills training, and education support, participants have used over $6 million in matched credits.   Recruitment for the program is now complete.   

To learn more about the success of the   project, access the recent report “Design and Implementation of a Program to Help the Poor Save” which outlines the detailed implementation of   and the lessons learned so far.   Other information about , such as research reports and information kits, is also available under the Resources and Publications part of the website.  

 

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Find out the community partners who SEDI works with.