Mustapha Atef is a seven-year-old Egyptian boy who, like his friends, loves to play – but because of a devastating disability, he can’t. Severe rheumatoid arthritis means Mustapha cannot even put his own shoes on.
If he tries, it takes him more than an hour due to his severely inflamed joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can result in deformity, disability and sometimes death. Medication for the disease can cost dhs70,000 – a sum that is too high for Mustapha’s family to afford.