This week’s Game Changer on “Americas Now” is a Brazilian socialite who changes the lives of children exposed to violence in Rio’s favelas. Yvonne Bezerra de Mello is a member of Rio de Janeiro’s upper class but she devoted her life to the poor after seeing how the stress and trauma of favela life compromised the cognitive abilities of kids.

Yvonne had previously worked in war zones in Africa and she compares some of Rio’s favelas – with their gangs and drug dealers – to war zones as well.  

She started a program in one of the city’s largest favelas to aid young victims of the violence and disorder. The Uere Project helps them recover by focusing on their individual needs. It also strives to improve their learning abilities so they can then integrate back into school.

Yvonne’s methodology has been so successful it is used to teach thousands of teachers in three different cities in Brazil.  She’s had a hand in helping thousands of children.

For this week’s Game Changer meet the well-to-do woman saving young lives from the slums, Yvonne Bezerra de Mello.