Makkah: Pilgrim Abu Bakr Traor© from the Republic of C´te d'Ivoire received news of his selection to perform Hajj this year through the Makkah Route Initiative after years of waiting, during which he saved money from his work in agriculture to fulfill his wish of visiting the Grand Mosque.

According to Saudi Press Agency, Abu Bakr said the dream of performing Hajj had accompanied him for many years and that he had hoped his mother would share the spiritual journey with him. However, she passed away before seeing the dream fulfilled, leaving him with mixed feelings of sadness and gratitude as he prepares to travel to the holy sites.

He explained that the Makkah Route Initiative provided pilgrims arriving from C´te d'Ivoire with a smooth experience from the moment they completed procedures in their home country.

He praised the services provided, particularly the luggage coding and direct transportation system, which eliminates the need to carry baggage or wait for long periods at airports.

Abu Bakr noted that these facilitations helped make the journey more comfortable and easier for pilgrims, expressing his appreciation to the Kingdom for its efforts in serving pilgrims.

He also expressed his desire to see the Holy Kaaba for the first time, saying he hopes to pray for mercy and forgiveness for his parents and that Allah will accept his Hajj.