Team 314: 100% Moroccan

They make up one of two 100% Moroccan teams in this year’s edition. This is their first Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc. And, as strange as that may seem, this will be their first visit to the Moroccan desert.

It’s the story of two women who are alike and share common values. One, Malika, was born in Rabat, the other, Hajar, in Tanger. They work for the same company in Casablanca, Malika as an engineer and Hajar as a marketing manager. They met at work, and discovered that they share a passion for travelling.

A year ago, while watching a video on M6 TV, they decided to take part in the 29th edition. “Hajar said to me: come on, let’s do it! Just like that, on a whim.” For Hajar, this is a childhood dream, but she hadn’t found the right teammate “until Kika”. “When we put on our vests yesterday, we said, that’s it, we’re Gazelles! We are finally going to do what all women looking for adventure would like to do. It’s a big step.”

The two Moroccan Gazelles are also going to discover the southern region of their own country. “We have travelled to many countries around the world, but sometimes we forget to travel close to home, where there are wonderful things to see. This event is the perfect opportunity. We had our driving training in Zagora and Merzouga two weeks ago. Il changes from one kilometre to the next. There’s sand, dunes, oueds, rocks. Some of the djebels (mountains) look like tajines. It’s a complete change of scenery compared to the large cities we live in!”

The team’s families and friends, as well as their 6 Moroccan and 2 French sponsors, are proud to support them. “Morocco recognizes the value of this rally, especially Aïcha. It’s a leading brand, for children and adults alike: we all grow up with their jam and tomato sauce.” What is their goal? “To experience a real adventure, push our limits and, as a bonus, finish in the top 3 of the First Participation Challenge. As we say in Arab: Inch’Allah!”