Candeia

What Candeia does

Candeia is a Portuguese non-profit association (Associação Candeia, IPSS) founded in 1991 in Lisbon, dedicated to accompanying, protecting, and integrating children and youth covered by the Sistema de Promoção e Proteção, the Sistema Tutelar Educativo, or from socio-economically vulnerable contexts. Headquartered at Travessa da Luz in Lisbon, the organization delivers a portfolio of five interconnected programs: Anda Daí (regular recreational and educational activities, including summer camps and Sunday gatherings), Amigos p'ra Vida (long-term volunteer family and mentor matching), Ponto de Partida (autonomy support for youth transitioning out of care), Justiça Contigo (legal education on the juvenile justice system), and Mais Longe (regional expansion beyond Lisbon). An awareness sub-brand, Acolhe em ti esta história, operates on Instagram to share stories from children in foster care.

The organization operates as a volunteer-driven mission, with the animador model forming the core of its human capital. Reported scale includes 560 children and youth accompanied (per the organization's website) alongside 300 per more recent reporting, 55 partner residential care institutions, 200+ activities annually, and a volunteer base of approximately 170 active animadores with broader participation around 300. The underlying technology is minimal: a WordPress website and social media presence, with no proprietary software, app, or AI components. The business model is entirely donation-based, with no commercial products or services sold; revenue comes from individual donations (one-time and recurring, via direct debit, NIB transfer, and MBWay) and corporate sponsorship. Geographic coverage spans Lisbon, the Alentejo, Centro, and Norte regions of Portugal through the 2025 Mais Longe expansion, with no global footprint.

Name

Candeia

Legal name

Associação Candeia

Website

https://candeia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Associação Candeia is a Portuguese non-profit (IPSS) founded in 1991 that supports children and youth in residential care through five programs spanning activities, family mentoring, autonomy transition, legal education, and regional expansion, delivered via a volunteer network across 55+ partner institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare and Youth Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Foster care support
• Youth mentorship programs
• Social solidarity institution
• Community volunteer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisboa

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Candeia operates entirely on donations from individuals and organizations. The association accepts one-time donations or recurring subscriptions through direct debit. Payment methods include NIB bank transfer (PT50 0035 0325 00008010730 49) and MbWay (+351 967 054 012).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Associação Candeia accompanies, protects, and integrates children and youth in Portuguese residential care (Casas de Acolhimento) and those from socio-economically vulnerable contexts, through five programs: Anda Daí (year-round recreational-pedagogical activities and summer camps), Amigos p'ra Vida (volunteer family and mentor matching), Ponto de Partida (mentorship for youth transitioning to autonomy), Justiça Contigo (legal education on the juvenile justice system), and Mais Longe (regional expansion to other Portuguese regions). Operations are delivered by approximately 170–300 volunteer animadores in partnership with 55 residential care institutions and are funded entirely by donations.

Product overview

Candeia is a non-profit social organization (IPSS) offering a portfolio of five interconnected social programs supporting children and youth in foster care. The core offerings include: Anda Daí (recreational activities and summer camps), Amigos p'ra Vida (family friend matching program), Ponto de Partida (autonomy support for transitioning youth), Justiça Contigo (legal education), and Mais Longe (regional expansion). These programs work together to provide continuous support from childhood through young adulthood, addressing emotional, social, and practical needs of vulnerable youth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Anda Daí

Quantifiable outcome

• 560 children and youth accompanied
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Santa Casa da Misericórdia de LisboacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSanta Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa is listed as a partner institution. Multiple facilities under this organization receive support from Candeia, including Casa de Santa Teresinha, Casa de Acolhimento Santo António, and other houses.
• RenascençaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRenascença media group is listed as a partner, providing media coverage and visibility for Candeia's mission.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Barnardo's: UK's largest children's charity, supporting children in care, fostering, and adoption through direct service delivery and advocacy. Comparable as a long-established children's charity delivering relational support to children in residential and foster care, though at national scale.
• Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa: Large Portuguese social-services organization operating multiple Casas de Acolhimento across Lisbon (and a Candeia institutional partner). Comparable as a major Portuguese residential child-care provider, but with a much broader social-services portfolio including elder care and healthcare.
• Casa Pia de Lisboa: Historic Portuguese public institution (founded 1780) providing education, residential care, and social reintegration to children and youth in need. Comparable to Candeia as a major Portuguese provider of residential child care (and an institutional partner), but with public-sector scale and a much broader mandate.
• Terre des Hommes: International children's rights and development NGO active across Europe and globally. Comparable as a child-welfare nonprofit delivering community-based support and advocacy for vulnerable children, though broader in scope and geographically dispersed.

Direct peers

• Instituto de Apoio à Criança (IAC): Portuguese NGO founded in 1983 advocating for children's rights and supporting at-risk children and families. Directly comparable as a Portuguese child-welfare nonprofit focused on promotion and protection of vulnerable youth, including those in residential care.
• SOS Children's Villages: Global nonprofit providing direct family-based care for children without parental care and at risk of losing it, operating in 130+ countries. Directly comparable to Candeia as both deliver long-term relational support to children in out-of-home care, though at vastly different scale.
• Fundação Maria Droste: Portuguese foundation operating residential care homes (Casas) for vulnerable children. Comparable as a peer Portuguese child-welfare foundation running multiple residential houses, and an institutional partner of Candeia.
• Ajuda de Berço: Portuguese association (founded 1998) supporting children from birth to age 6 in foster care, currently working with 35 children. Directly comparable as a Lisbon-based child welfare nonprofit serving foster homes; Candeia's programs complement Ajuda de Berço's work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/acolheemti___
• Facebookfacebook.com/associacaocandeia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/associacaocandeia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Candeia