The SMEDUP Project provides low-income groups access to credit and business advisory services to support small business start-ups. FIT helped establish and build the capacities of three independent NGOs in each of Qena, Beni Suef and Sohag governorates. These Community Development Associations (CDAs) deliver a wide range of services to new entrepreneurs, including technical support to feasibility studies and business planning, credit, business advice, and training, and identify opportunities to increase SMEDUP’s impact on poverty reduction. To date, over 1000 small businesses and 4000 full-time jobs have been created through SMEDUP, and the CDAs are emerging as highly effective institutions. Through SMEDUP a nationally-based organisation, El Mobadara, has also been established to assist in institutionalizing a system of enterprise development support in Egypt.