Wearing a long, white dress and sporting painted nails and a slick of lipstick, Mariella Barbara’s outer appearance fails to expose her true condition: living on the brink of poverty.

Ten years ago, Ms Barbara was an independent, industrious woman reading for a psychology degree to further her education while juggling a part-time job.

The 55-year-old, who has been separated from her husband for 22 years, always relished her independence. She had worked as a waitress in one of the island’s top restaurants and also put her seamstress skills to good use.

Then, something happened that would change life as she knew it.

She was in the second year of her course at the University of Malta when her mother fell ill.

As her mother lay dying in hospital, Ms Barbara’s stress levels rocketed, triggering a searing pain in her joints. She was admitted to hospital where she was diagnosed with palindromic rheumatism, a rare condition that took hold of her life, disabling her with pain and forcing her into the clutches of poverty.

Palindromic rheumatism consists of sudden and rapidly developing attacks of arthritis. There is acute pain, redness, swelling and disability of one or multiple joints. The interval between recurrent attacks is extremely variable, as is the duration of an attack.

Ms Barbara says there are only four people with the condition in Malta. She had displayed symptoms of it before, but the condition fully flared up and took control of her life during the time her mother passed away.

“Every day, a part of my body stops functioning,” she said. “I never know when I will suffer an attack. In the past, I often spent two days in intense pain and fatigue, followed by three days where I’m better.

“However, since November, I’ve been a total loss. They might start chemotherapy to help treat the intense pain.

My dreams have been crushed. This was all so unexpected

“Last May, my shoulder joint locked and I haven’t been able to move my left arm since,” Ms Barbara sighs, gesturing towards her lopsided pony tail, which she had scraped back the best way she could, using one arm.

As a result, she had to drop out from the University course. Because she can only handle a part-time job and would require sick leave every week, Ms Barbara has been unemployed for the past eight years. That, in turn, led to her descent into poverty.

Repetitive movements trigger pain, meaning she also had to give up sewing, which hadn’t been earning her much money anyway.

Her eyesight has also deteriorated but she cannot afford to buy lenses with the right prescription. Out of the €409 she receives each month in social benefits, €300 go to her landlord to pay for her rented apartment.

Her elderly father, who lives with his granddaughter, bought Ms Barbara a car and pays her utility bills, basic cable television and covers any other expenses that might crop up.

“Thankfully, he has a good pension. But he’s not eternal,” she said.

Her financial situation means she doesn’t afford painkillers. Nor can she afford to make use of the concentrated heated seawater pool at the Fortina Hotel and Spa, which would bring relief to her throbbing joints.

“I am blessed to have three wonderful friends who clean and cook for me. I don’t refuse anything,” said Ms Barbara.

“You see, looking at me, you wouldn’t think I’m poor. I’m not in rags. My nails are painted and that’s because they were done by someone in exchange of my sewing the hem of her curtains.

“I’ve put on weight because all I eat is bread and pasta. I eat my bread with tomato paste because it’s cheaper than butter.

“The pain doesn’t allow me to exercise.

“I haven’t bought vegetables in ages. I love fish and chicken but I can’t afford them.”

She will have to move out of her rented apartment within two months because her landlord will move back into it. All her hopes revolve around acquiring social housing, which would alleviate the financial pressure.

“At times, my courage fails me. I look back and wonder: how did I end up his way? I was always so hopeful,” she said.

“My dreams have been crushed. This was all so unexpected. I want to do so many things. I wanted to do voluntary work, to have a job but I’m disabled with pain.”

Not wanting to admit defeat, Ms Barbara applied for a course in computing at the Employment and Training Corporation.

“My 74-year-old father helps me out financially the best way he can. Once I found him sobbing in bed. He admitted he was worried about me.

“I live in the fear that, one day, my foot will lock and I won’t be able to walk. But I live my life day by day.”

88,000 people at risk

In Malta there are about 88,000 people living at risk of poverty.

At present, the Government is drafting a strategy aimed at combating poverty and social exclusion.

This follows discussions with professionals and academics during public consultation meetings held in July and talks between NGOs and government consultants. The strategy will eventually also be discussed by the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.

In the meantime, an activity to battle poverty through art and culture will be held between today and Saturday to raise more awareness about poverty and social exclusion.

Art, drama, music and discussions will be held throughout the week together with live painting by children from Wot Art School of Art.