Dubai charity fundraisers kick off epic bid to run 7 marathons over 7 continents in 7 straight days

• Maria Conceicao, 2 Dubai-based expats and a UK volunteer, to raise funds for the education of slum kids in Bangladesh
• First 42km run to start on February 8 in Melbourne, Australia; last leg on the 14th takes place in Antarctica

Dubai, United Arab Emirates; January 28, 2015:  Dubai-based humanitarian Maria Conceicao is all set to run her most gruelling marathon yet for her charity - the Maria Cristina Foundation (MCF) - as the starting gun for the 777 Challenge is fired on February 8 in Melbourne, Australia. 

The 777 Challenge, an extreme sporting event recognised by the Guinness World Records, entails running 7 marathons of 42km each in over 7 continents in 7 straight days!   From Australia, runners will continue their course in Asia, then onto Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and finally, Antarctica for the last stop.

•  Marathon 1: February 8 - Melbourne, Australia
•  Marathon 2: February 9 - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
•  Marathon 3: February 10 - Paris, France
•  Marathon 4: February 11 - Tunisia
•  Marathon 5: February 12 - New York, USA
•  Marathon 6: February 13 - Chile
•  Marathon 7: February 14 - Antarctica

MCF founder Maria will be joined by two more Dubai-based expats - Rosa Areosa and Saul Keens, as well Lorena Puica from the UK who is also supporting the foundation.  Originally from South Africa and of Portuguese heritage, Rosa is an experienced speed walker; she considers marathons, however, as unchartered territories.  British expat Saul meanwhile has had a lifelong passion for motorbikes, and his adventures off road and on the race track have given him some serious injuries, including the motorcycle crash at the Dubai Autodrome that left him with a bad leg fracture needing metal implants. Despite admonitions from his surgeon and his consultant never to try running, Saul has been turning things around by joining different running events as part of his training for the 777 Challenge. Lorena, who is now based in London, is originally from Romania and has a strong belief in the power of the education as it has helped her with her own achievements.

 The group will endeavour to promote awareness and raise as much funding as possible for Maria Cristina Foundation.  The foundation, which has been fighting poverty since 2005, primarily works on providing children in the slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh with a good education that would lay the foundation for a rewarding career path, and promote the economic sustainability of their families thereby lifting them out of the poverty trap. 

“We are continuing our fight against extreme poverty and will run the toughest race yet to educate the underprivileged children of Dhaka.  The children are our tomorrow and we would like to do our best to make sure that they get all the help they need to secure a better future. We are extremely happy that, with the generous support of our donors, we have helped hundreds of destitute families and children. There are still a lot more out there who have great potential and are worthy of being given the chance to go to school.  The consequences of depriving these kids of an enriching education are long-term - not only does it prevent their overall growth but more alarming is that it forebodes another generation of poverty, not to mention more families putting their children to work or being forced into early marriages!” Maria said.

The marathon has attracted worldwide registrants, with runners from 13 different countries covering five continents confirmed to see action.  There is equal ratio by male and female participants, and interestingly, the oldest competitor on the list is 77 years old.

The foundation, apart from sending slum children to school, also leads other social initiatives in Dhaka including adult education and key family welfare packages, such as food assistance, medical and dental care, and housing/rent assistance. The first Portuguese woman and third national to summit Mount Everest, Maria pushes her own physical limits through various endurance challenges to raise funds for the group’s works. 

For donations, updates and more about the Maria Cristina Foundation please visit www.mariacristinafoundation.org or www.facebook.com/MariaCristinaFoundation.