Together for the rights of children and adolescents.

"Let justice flow like a never-failing river." — Amos 5:24

Discover the project

Defending rights

We work to guarantee and promote rights.

Social participation

We strengthen the voice of children, adolescents and communities.

Civic education

We build a culture of rights and responsibilities.

Hope and action

We believe in the present and we build the future.

What is the Fé Cidadã Project?

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
James 1:27
Integral missionCivic advocacyNortheast · 7 citiesSince 2018Phase 2 · 2024

Fé Cidadã is a FEPAS project that brings together churches, children and adolescents, and public authorities around a concrete goal: making sure public policies for children and adolescents actually reach those who need them — without diversion, corruption or neglect.

It's not a charity project. It's a project of active Christian citizenship: the local church learns to take part in rights councils, follow city council activity and track education funding. Children and adolescents learn their rights and become agents of change. And authorities become accountable to an organized network of engaged Christians.

The methodology has already been tested in 7 cities of Northeast Brazil during Phase 1. The final report showed strong results in mobilization, leadership training and engagement with public authorities. Phase 2, launched in 2024, deepens the methodology and expands the network.

The foundation is simple — and radical: pure religion is this: caring for the vulnerable and not being contaminated by the system's injustices.

Phase 2underway · 2024
NEfocus on the Northeast
The methodology

The 3 network actors

01
Rights holders

Children & Adolescents

The project trains vulnerable children and adolescents to know their rights, take part in public hearings, and demand the public policies meant for them.

Rights · Child Statute · Protection System
02
Civil society

The Local Church

The church stops being just a place of worship: together with other civil society actors, it follows and monitors the public policy cycle, takes part in rights councils, and exercises social oversight — holding public officials accountable for transparency, responsibility and effectiveness in upholding children's and adolescents' rights.

Mobilization · Advocacy · Network
03
Duty bearers

Public Authorities

Municipal officials, city council members and other public authorities are mobilized to strengthen transparency, good governance and the fulfillment of children's and adolescents' rights, driven by the advocacy and social oversight the project exercises.

Social oversight · Transparency

Phase 1 results.

The numbers prove it: when faith and citizenship meet, transformation is measurable. Data from the Fé Cidadã Phase 1 Final Report.

7
cities mobilized in the Northeast in 2 years
+200
leaders engaged in Christian citizenship and advocacy
+100 volunteers
engaged in monitoring public policy for children
+1800 children and adolescents
ages 6 to 14, reached by the project

Engagement by audience

Local churches
85%
Youth trained
72%
Authorities reached
60%
Councils monitored
78%

Impact by project pillar

Civic training
90%
Public advocacy
68%
Prayer & spirituality
95%
Inter-church network
55%

The project's timeline.

2018 → 2024
2018

Pilot project — the first cities

Fé Cidadã is born as a pilot initiative in Natal/RN and Jaboatão dos Guararapes/PE, bringing together independent Baptist churches around children's rights. The adopted methodology is tested for the first time.

Pilot · 2 cities
2021

Expansion to 7 Northeastern cities

Maceió, Caruaru, Campina Grande, Recife and Fortaleza join the network. The pandemic forces a shift to remote methodology — and proves the network's resilience.

Expansion · 7 cities
2022

Seven cities and first public engagement

The network completes 7 cities mobilized in the Northeast over 2 years of the project. Mobilizers from Recife take part in public hearings on the Municipal Children's Plan. Three city councils formally receive the network.

Advocacy · Public hearings
2024

Phase 1 Final Report

The external evaluation documents the results: +200 leaders trained, 14 churches active in advocacy, participation in rights councils, and measurable impact on municipal policy.

Evaluation · Documented results
2024

Phase 2 — deepening and expansion

With new mobilizers selected through a public call and a refined methodology, Fé Cidadã enters its second phase, focused on structural advocacy, youth training and expanding the network beyond the Northeast.

Phase 2 · Underway
Where we work

Five cities. One network.

Fé Cidadã works in the Northeast — the region with the highest concentration of vulnerable children, where social oversight of public policy has the most immediate impact.

Natal
RN
Recife
PE
Maceió
AL
Caruaru
PE
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
PE
NatalRecifeJaboatão dos GuararapesCaruaruMaceióRegião NordesteCidades Fé Cidadã
Transparency · Documents

Reports and materials from the project.

These documents were published by the FEPAS team and are available in Portuguese only.

Phase 2 · 2024

Goals for the new phase.

Fé Cidadã's second phase deepens the methodology and expands the network, focused on sustainability, structural advocacy and training new mobilizers.

01

Good governance and transparency

Churches, alongside other actors in society, confronting corruption and influencing authorities to implement public policies grounded in good governance and transparency, prioritizing the rights of children and adolescents.

02

Right to education and school meals

Rights holders organized into community groups confronting corruption and defending and promoting children's right to quality education and to environmentally sound school meals.

03

Empowered children and adolescents

Children and adolescents empowered in anti-corruption best practices and influencing public policy for children.

#fecidada · Instagram

The mission happens in every city.

@projeto.fecidadaSiga e acompanhe os projetos e reels em tempo real

Publicações

Reels

Seguir @projeto.fecidada no Instagram
The human network

The project's mobilizers.

Natal · RN
Mobilizer

Felipe Gameleira

A social sciences graduate from UFRN, he strengthens community listening, local leadership and the support network for families in the region.

Recife · PE
Mobilizer

João Almeida

A social worker by training and a postgraduate in social project management and the third sector, he helps organize community engagement and local action in Recife.

Teresina · PI
Facilitator

Andreza Menghini

Graduated in Law from UNIFG and currently studying a postgraduate course in Civil Procedure. She supports the guidance, follow-up and strengthening of project actions across the five cities.

Regional
Regional Coordinator

Fernanda Alencar

Coordinates the regional network, supporting the formation, coordination and follow-up of mobilizers and local leaders.

Caruaru · PE
Mobilizer

Cássia Munis

A Christian, dance teacher, educator and choreographer, she serves in the Ministry of Missions and the Social Project in Xique-Xique and strengthens Fé Cidadã in Caruaru.

You can help faith happen.

Fé Cidadã needs people who believe faith transforms not just souls — but laws, policies and entire cities.

Prayer Campaign

You can contribute by praying for the five cities. Prayer is the project's strategic foundation — not optional, but essential. Get in touch: fepas@fepas.org.br