Soccer player Peterson Bonpied Jerome is driven by his twin loves of game and country. And now, 15 years after leaving his native Haiti to achieve the quintessential American dream, he is poised to contribute to his homeland at its time of greatest need.
Through his Haiti Youth Development and Education (H.Y.D.E.) foundation, Jerome has helped place promising Haitians with soccer teams around the world. His own experience as a young soccer player helped fuel his desire to see others get recognized.
"I was a very good player in high school, but my [own] community didn't know about me, while other communities were praising me," said Jerome, who grew up in Cap-Haitien, the second largest city in Haiti, located in the northern region. "They knew all about my life, but not my community."
