FundLife Founder Completes 14-Day Running Challenge to Advocate for Children's Rights

Kasic's route included navigating the mountains of Sagada and Baguio and coping with the humidity to run 42.2 km every day for 14 consecutive days.

FundLife, a leading non-governmental organization founded in 2014 after super-typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban City, Philippines, is dedicated to promoting purposeful play and equitable education for marginalized and vulnerable children.

The 'Move Luzon' initiative is part of FundLife' 'Play Equity' Pledge to promote equitable sports and education for all children and the challenge was to created to showcase the freedom all children should have to play and learn in safety.

Prior to starting the challenge, Mr Kasic admitted he had never run a full marathon before and that the longest run he had ever completed was 27km in a single day. Asked why this challenge was important, he stated:

"For over a decade, FundLife has been working on the frontlines of supporting the most vulnerable children through sports. In that time, we have witnessed many grand statements about helping children, but too often these statements and spoken commitments never amounted to action. This run was an extension of our ongoing efforts to deliver what we believe - of showing that actions speak louder than words - and that anything is possible if we really believe in it."

His run began on July 8th at Patapat Viaduct, Pagudpud, the northern most point in Luzon, and concluded in Metro Manila on July 21st. Over the span of 14 consecutive days, Marko covered the equivalent of 14 marathons, engaging with running and non-running communities and informal local groups along the way.

Mr Kasic ran the majority of the 13 marathons alone during the night to avoid the soaring heat and humidity. For his final marathon, he was joined by over 300 local runners from Rockwell Run Club, a community run club in Manila, who joined him as he made his way back to Manila to conclude the epic physical endeavor.

Mr Kasic's hope is that the challenge will help inspire local and global action to deliver equitable sports and education for all children in the Philippines and beyond. He also hopes he will inspire children all over the Philippines to take up running, not just for the physical benefit, but also for the educational opportunity it may bring. Commenting on this, he said:

"Access to regular sports in the Philippines is very limited for underserved communities, and running has the fewest barriers to entry, especially for those children who lack the economic resources to access sports. If they excel at running, it could provide them an athletic scholarship to finish high school and enter college. Running can be an attainable pathway from poverty to educational and economic prosperity.

"I also hope that by showing people that growth comes from doing very difficult things when we don't need to, it will inspire them to believe in things that often don't seem possible - until we prove otherwise."