Behind this success, Glamour, Victory and triumph, there is a Story. A big Story that George Wachiuri has never shyed off from telling-This is the Story about His Bitter, Hard, and very Difficult Pat Life-Upbringing, School & Work.
George was raised by his Single mother, Single handedly together with his other siblings, Having Lost their father at a very tender age, in the dry parts of Laburra, Kieni Constituency.
At the time of George`s Father Death, George’s mother was a house wife.
The death of his late Primary school teacher father saw the mother wake up to the hard reality of raising his children- She started Cultivating & Tilling Neighbors Land to earn a Livelihood for her family.
This kept as many Neighbors talking & mocking behind their Backs.
George and other Siblings would help their mother till the land before going to school and during the School Holidays.
Having a daily bread for them was a big hustle and a very big miracle at the same time.
Tattered clothes, cracked feet, Hungry Stomachs, Tired Backs due to overworking in tilling lands were the order of the day.
“I got my first trouser while joining High school. My motivation to read harder came after I saw my elder Brother with a trouser for the first time. This made me realize I had to work very hard to get such”
The hard situation at home had made George & the mother think that the Best way to go was to convert George to be a Priest- But thanks to Fate! Fate had other Plans.
Asked why he chose to venture into the Real Estate Business among others, George says…..” The pain of seeing my mother cry every night and day in the messy, torn house we were living in saddened me. It hit me hard that one day, I should Build her a decent house someday…..The dream never came through soonest, but after many years of hard work, patience, perseverance and Trusting God…Today am in the Real estate Business and I finally managed to build a decent house for my mother.”
After his K.C.P.E Exams, George passed very well .He was then admitted to a very good High School after convincing his mother to sell their only Milk cow so that he gets school Fees.
George was in & out of School due to lack of fees. It was during this time that his Entrepreneurial spirit was born, nursed and tested. George had to get a way of raising his school fees. He ventured into the Onion Business, and the rest is a big story. One good thing about this Business was, it enabled George to raise his School Fees and help his mother buy some sugar & Flour.
After High school, George passed very well and he was enrolled in University of Nairobi, Kabete Campus where he majored in BCOM/Marketing Option.
While in the University, George Ventured into many Businesses such as Laundry, Photography, Home library Business where he would hire out magazines/ Newspapers to his fellow students in his small cubicle for some few coins.
The University season & Entrepreneurship saw George Awarded as the Best & Most Entrepreneurial student in 1997.
After University, George got his first job with Uchumi Supermarkets as an accountant, after tarmacking for so long with friends in many organizations dropping as many Job applications as possible.
George later moved to Lutheran World Federation where he worked as a social work for the less privileged in Kakuma Refugee Camp. It is this time when he got married.
All this time, George had been saving. His Bank Account was Ksh, 5Million.
It was during this time that George quit his job to pursue Business, Land Business.
Little did he know that this was the beginning of yet another traumatizing moment in his life than he met the conman who had promised to sell him some good genuine land?
After purchasing the said land, George later discovered he had been conned- This was not clean land.
He tried to search for these land sellers but until now, they vanished into the thin air. Depression struck.
It took the mercies of God, Support from his immediate family, and acceptance that he got back to his sense – And this is how Optiven Limited was formed.
Optiven has metamorphosed through several processes & stages; From a mere stationery, to a Car Business ,to where it is Now, Optiven Group, The Award- Winning Company, and the Company that has stand out in today`s world to define the Real Meaning of what a Real Estate Company should look like.
Optiven is the Face of how the Real Estate Company ought to be.
Optiven is the Pacesetters in this Industry too. The Company has been Crowned with the following & Not Limited Awards: The Overall Winner in Top 100 Mid- Sized Companies in Kenya 2014/2015,The Best Real Estate Company & Property Developer in Kenya 2014/2015,The Best Company in Kenya in COYA Awards this year 2015/2016,
Also, George Wachiuri Was Crowned with a Global Award as the Best& Most Innovative Entrepreneur in Kenya in the US Mashujaa Awards, 2015/2016.
Optiven exists to Economically & Socially Empower & Transform the Society.
Optiven has a Charity, Optiven Foundation, that gives back to the Society by Sponsoring Needy Bright Students (Soaring Eagles Scholarship Programme), Promotion of Health, Environmental protection, Caring for the Senior Citizen (Olds ) in the Society Among others.
George Wachiuri has thus devoted his life to serve the community.
On his daily Routine, George is always out in Churches, Schools and other for a Empowering the youth, SMES, Business people among others.
He is also always out to the media advising on Matters that affect the Society on maters Empowerment, Finances, Entrepreneurship ,Philanthropy among others.
