Marko Kasic, a British philanthropist and founder of FundLife, a leading non-governmental organization established to rebuild communities devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban City, has completed a 600-kilometer running challenge across Luzon.
The project, Move Luzon ‘Run with Pur-pose,’ is part of FundLife’s ‘Play Equity’ Pledge to campaign for the freedom all chil-dren should have to play and learn safely. Specifically, the effort aims to provide 5,000 underserved children access to running clinics and equip a hundred DepEd teachers with the basics to teach running classes.
FundLife uses sports to protect, educate, and empower vulnerable children to work hard for a better life. Hence, the project was conceived to encourage Filipino children to start running, which can lead to educational opportunities. “If they excel at running or any sport, it could provide them with an athletic scholarship to finish high school and enter college. Running can be an attainable pathway from poverty to educational and economic prosperity,” Kasic emphasized.
His two-week run began at Patapat Via-duct, Pagudpud, on July 8 and ended at Metro Manila on July 21, 2024. Through-out his 14-day journey, Kasic covered the equivalent of 14 marathons while engaging with both running and non-running communities. He ran solo for most of his trip but was joined by over 300 members of the Rockwell Run Club on the last 21 km and 10 km stretch.
“Move Luzon is my way of transforming FundLife’s vision into actionable commitment steps. Just like our work, it’s about giving to make a tangible impact on the lives of all children. We hope that by showcasing our passion for education and sports, we might inspire oth-ers in power to move with us,” he added.
For Kasic, this run was also a campaign to influence decision-makers in the business world to approach charity projects with a sustainable mindset, ensuring lasting social impact
