1. His teacher discovered his writing talent at the age of eleven and encouraged him to start a community newspaper.

2. It aimed to protest against poor living conditions and give local residents a voice to improve their community.

3. He lived in a favela on the edge of Rio de Janeiro, an area that used to be controlled by armed drug gangs.

4. When the government sent soldiers to remove drug dealers from the favela, Rene’s team reported the event live.

5. Because Rene and his teenage reporters were inside the favela, providing real-time photos and videos while other media waited outside.

6. It sparked a national debate about how the government should support favela residents and brought positive change to the community.