At 21, Darwin Mutua had already begun imagining the life he wanted.

He was young, ambitious and determined to build a future for himself. During the holidays, he operated a motorbike and engaged in small business as he pursued his educational ambitions.

He also had a clear picture of where he wanted his life to go.

Then, on 9 May 2025, that future was violently interrupted.

According to his family, Darwin was attacked by a group of assailants armed with machetes. Seven pangas were used in the attack, striking his right hand, shoulder and back.

The injuries were devastating.

Darwin lost his right hand.

For a young man who had been working and dreaming about his future, life suddenly became a struggle to perform tasks that had once seemed ordinary.

His family says the attack has left him facing a long road of medical treatment, rehabilitation and uncertainty over whether he can be fitted with a prosthetic hand.

But Darwin is refusing to give up on the future he had imagined.

'He had plans for his life'

Darwin is one of nine children in a family of 11.

His sister, Mercy, describes him as a motivated young man who had ambitions for his education and a strong desire to become economically independent.

Before the attack, he was already looking for ways to earn money.

Operating a motorbike and engaging in small-scale business during the holidays gave him an opportunity to support himself while working towards his bigger ambitions.

The injury changed all of that.

Tasks that once required little thought now require adaptation. Work that depended on the use of both hands has become difficult.

And for a family already dealing with the ordinary pressures of life, the cost of rebuilding Darwin's future has become another burden.

The long road to recovery

Darwin's recovery is now focused on rehabilitation.

His family has been referred to the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK), where he is expected to undergo assessment and receive guidance on rehabilitation.

The family is also hoping that Darwin can eventually be fitted with a prosthetic right hand.

But there is no certainty yet that he will qualify for one.

If a prosthetic right hand is not possible, the family says rehabilitation will begin with his remaining left hand so that he can regain as much independence as possible.

That uncertainty has made financial support especially important.

A fundraiser is currently under way, but the family says only a fraction of what is needed has so far been raised.

They are appealing for further assistance to help meet Darwin's medical, rehabilitation and prosthetic needs.

He still has a dream

Perhaps the most striking part of Darwin's story is that his ambitions have not disappeared with his right hand.

His family says that once he recovers, Darwin wants to become a heavy-machinery operator, working in construction and operating equipment used to build large structures.

It is a demanding ambition.

But it is also a reminder that the person behind the injury is still there.

The attack may have taken away his hand.

It has not taken away his desire to work.

A family asking for a second chance

For Darwin's family, the fundraising effort is about more than paying medical bills.

It is about giving a 21-year-old a chance to regain independence and pursue the future he had begun planning before the attack.

His story has also drawn support from his local community, with a fundraiser organised to help meet his rehabilitation and prosthetic needs.

The family is now hoping that more people will hear his story and help him take the next step.

For a young man who once spent his holidays working, dreaming and planning his future, the road ahead will not be easy.

But Darwin still has a goal.

He wants to work.

He wants to operate heavy machinery.

He wants to build.

And after everything that has happened, his family believes he deserves the chance to try.

For support towards Darwin's medical rehabilitation and prosthetic needs, the family has provided the contact number 0797 606 677.