Loyal to the desert that shaped his life, this man welcomed us with warmth in a remote outpost near Walata, where only a handful of small houses stood in the midst of an unforgivingly arid land. It was mid-afternoon, the heat still heavy, when he invited us for tea, proud to host us as his guests. After some time together, he insisted on showing us what he valued most: the few palm trees he had managed to cultivate. In a land where water is almost nonexistent, their survival was not just remarkable but the result of tireless effort and care. Standing before them, with an imposing gaze full of dignity, he embodied the resilience of those who wrest life from the desert, creating green where nothing is meant to grow.