‘I have to protect them’: The man guarding Mauritania’s rare Islamic books

Muhammad Gholam el-Habot, a librarian in Chinguetti, carefully preserves ancient Islamic manuscripts that are considered precious by his family. Chinguetti, once a center of Islamic learning, is now declining as locals seek opportunities in larger cities. The town faces environmental challenges, including desertification and climate change, which threaten the preservation of these books.