Slain LGBTQ+ activist, model and fashion designer Edwin Chiloba Kiptoo had a difficult life while growing up.

Chiloba was born in a polygamous family but his mother was not present. He was brought up with his step mother, whom he says was a good person but she died while he was just in class three. After her death, his elder sister got married leaving him under the care of his aunt and father.

“The aunt was a drunkard. She was noisy and did not want me. I grew up in church so I knew the values of Christianity that’s why I did not fight back. I was forced to leave home because my father was not concerned about my wellbeing,” Chiloba narrated in an interview with Ebru TV two years ago.

At that point, he was forced to live in other people’s homes. Some of his teachers offered to help him and he was able to complete his primary school studies.

Chiloba later joined High School and his sister took up the responsibility of catering for his education. He continued serving God and was chosen to be a prayer coordinator in his school. This saw his father take care of his needs.

He however passed away 2015 and his sister continued supporting him. The deceased passed high school and joined Moi University to pursue Education which he said was not his call.

“I used to pass exams but it was not something that I was into. In campus I mostly dwelled in modelling. In third year, my sister refused to pay my fee because of my love for fashion and modelling. People started accusing me of being satanic. My sister rejected me and my relatives condemned me saying I am a devil,” he recalled.

He was kicked out of the family so as not influence his other young relatives . He also dropped out of campus .

After the rejection, he fully focused on chasing his fashion and modelling dream. In 2018, he participated in the Face of Eldoret event and he came third runners up. He joined a modelling agency and that is how he met his adoptive parents, Peter and Donna Pfaltzgraff.

Peter loved his fashion sense and even invited him for Christmas, where he opened up about his struggles to them.

“I remember them crying. They were really touched. They then told me not to worry, that I was their son. They adopted me,” he said adding that they enrolled him at the University of Eldoret where he pursues Fashion and Design.

Following his death, his family came out to defend him saying that he was not gay and that he was a dedicated Christian. The family also demanded for justice over his murder.