Capoeira Maculele is an international entity that actively works to improve the lives of individuals and communities. The Association, Capoeira Maculele, was founded on November 5, 1991 by Francisco Antonio Rodrigues da Silva with sponsorship by Capoeira Master Leopoldina and Dona Alice, wife of Mestre Pastinha. Mestre Fran, along with his wife Mestranda Sara, has spent the last thirty years spreading Capoeira throughout the world and at home in Londrina, Parana, Brazil. Together they have developed a program, Projeto Maculele, specifically designed to give at-risk youth an opportunity to succeed in life and live up to their fullest potential. Today a large majority of the professional teachers of Capoeira Maculele were beneficiaries of Projeto Maculele, all of whom were raised in the slums of Brasil. Today, many of these teachers make a living teaching Capoeira through Projeto Maculele, effectively giving back to the same impoverished communities that they came from.

The Capoeira Maculelê Cultural Association is an organization of capoeira schools all over the world, all operating with the same mission. The Maculelê Brazilian Arts Institute, Inc. is the American organization under which we operate. Despite little outside support, we have been able to assist hundreds of children reach their potentials through capoeira. Some have even grown up and become teachers themselves.

The Capoeira Maculelê philosophy is based on the physical, moral, and spiritual values of the human being. Its practice aims to help Capoeira students realize their full potential and talent while raising their awareness of socio-economic issues, such as drug abuse, violence and inequality. Capoeira Maculele aims to encourage the practice of capoeira as a complex art that integrates social, cultural and athletic aspects of Capoeira as well as to prepare the members to become good instructors of Capoeira to continue to expand the art recognized as an Afro-Brazilian culture.

Projeto Maculele is geared towards low income children of all ages, races, gender and socio-economic backgrounds in Brasil, however the benefits of the project are felt throughout the community.