KitaBisa Collective:
Matched savings and capability building
to support underprivileged youths
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Youths from low-income families often face compounding barriers to social mobility, absorbing the disadvantages of the previous generation and at risk of passing them on to the next. Breaking this pattern requires not just financial resources, but a transformation in mindset, behaviour and long-term capability.
Recognising the complexity of challenges these youths face, KitaBisa Collective launched a pilot to test out a new intervention that brings together financial support (matched savings) and capability building, exploring and shaping a potentially new practice area for social workers. Quantedge Foundation is providing KitaBisa Collective with Monitoring and Evaluation support to deepen our understanding of this approach.
KitaBisa Collective’s matched savings programme targets low-income youth (aged 18-29) who are motivated and goal-ready. Using matched savings as a financial recognition for self-improvement and capability building, social workers guide participants in building sound financial habits and mindsets towards financial independence. The programme supports a range of participant profiles – from youths navigating major life transitions to those shouldering caregiving responsibilities at home. Participants are deemed ready for savings matching only after they demonstrate practical skills (e.g. budgeting, planned spending), learnt through one-to-one financial literacy coaching by social workers. This conditions the incentive on genuine capability-building, not just savings accumulation – helping youths overcome mental barriers such as a scarcity mindset and position themselves for long-term growth and sustainability (e.g. Leveraging Central Provident Fund (CPF) schemes).
In line with Quantedge Foundation’s strategic approach to strengthen the broader social sector ecosystem, we are providing KitaBisa Collective with expertise and support in Monitoring and Evaluation. To this end, we are conducting a mixed-methods evaluation of the matched savings programme. Our evaluation will examine the programme’s effectiveness in shaping participants’ financial outcomes and their progress towards personal goals. We will also study two key innovations within the programme: the role of “relational accountability” – the use of trusted relationships to nudge participants towards their goals – and the training of social workers as financial coaches. We aim to generate important insights into these innovations that may have significant implications for future social service practice.
KitaBisa Collective’s matched-savings programme is currently ongoing, with its first run expected to be completed in early 2028.
In line with Quantedge Foundation’s strategic approach to strengthen the broader social sector ecosystem, we are providing KitaBisa Collective with expertise and support in Monitoring and Evaluation. To this end, we are conducting a mixed-methods evaluation of the matched savings programme. Our evaluation will examine the programme’s effectiveness in shaping participants’ financial outcomes and their progress towards personal goals. We will also study two key innovations within the programme: the role of “relational accountability” – the use of trusted relationships to nudge participants towards their goals – and the training of social workers as financial coaches. We aim to generate important insights into these innovations that may have significant implications for future social service practice.
KitaBisa Collective’s matched-savings programme is currently ongoing, with its first run expected to be completed in early 2028.