Residents of favelas were encouraged to participate in committees and other representative bodies, to empower them as political actors.

At the same time religious organizations began to take root in the communities by creating, stimulating, and cooperating in, assistance plans such as the Fundação Leão XIII in  1947 (Leo XIII Foundation) and the Cruzada São Sebastião in 1955 (San Sebastian Crusade) at the hands of the catholic church.