From slums to soccer fields; Team Haiti arrives in Blaine

BLAINE, Minn. – A team from Haiti is kicking off an opportunity of a lifetime in Blaine at the Schwan’s USA Cup.

“Haiti is the poorest country in the world and they live in the poorest slums there,” said Minnesota-native and former soccer professional Tony Sanneh. “It’s amazing seeing this all come to fruition.”

The U-14 team is comprised of 18 kids, many of whom are orphans. But thanks to Haitian Initiative, an organization started through the Sanneh Foundation, the team is in Minnesota for the next few weeks.

“I love the sport of soccer,” says Sanneh.  “We’re using it to make a difference.”

Haitian Initiative uses soccer in Haiti as a catalyst to combat the cycle of poverty. The program motivates young people to stay in school, offers free meals and opportunities to improve their soccer skills.

Sanneh’s foundation along with other local organizations and local soccer teams raised money for Team Haiti’s trip.

“These kids are thinking about survival,” said Sanneh. “The fact that they’re allowed to be kids and take the opportunity to play and bond and get the community behind them is pretty special.”

The Schwan’s USA Cup brings in hundreds of soccer teams from around the world. It is the largest youth sports tournament in the western hemisphere.

Visit the Sanneh Foundation website for more information on the Haitian Initiative and how you can help.

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1 thought on “From slums to soccer fields; Team Haiti arrives in Blaine

  1. It behooves me how easy it is for people who do not even know Haiti to describe it as the “poorest country in the world” Based on what Haiti is being portrayed as such?

    For what Haiti as a nation has been through and the history that surrounds Haiti, I can say that Haiti is the richest country in the world. Despite everything that we have been through, we stand strong as a nation. The US,France, UK, Spain and Canada have done their best to keep Haiti down but this country has a purpose and will stand until God turns things around for that nation.

    Stop calling Haiti the poorest country in the world for it is not true. No country in the Caribeans nations have been through what Haiti has been through but there not that better than Haiti. For example, let’s take Jamaica, have they been through even removely close to what Haiti been through? Are they that much better than Haiti? Don’t think so? they enjoyed more political,social and economical stability that Haiti. That’s it.

    Haiti is country that people without knowing why want to call poor. The country is now associated with the word “Poverty” why? Simply because Oncle Sam and the rest of the powerful countries have wanted to teach Haitians a lesson of humility to the only Black Nation that there took against them. They have succeeded. They used the sons of the nation to destroy the nation. The selfish people that have the opportunity to make a Haiti a properous country blew it by accepting money or other things from Oncle Sam to destroy their own country.

    It is not over! Haiti will rise again and soar high like an eagle where the steotype of poverty will not longer be associated with the best country in the world “HAITI” HAITI!!!

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