Defrauded of Sh5m, he borrowed Sh70,000 and succeeded

George Wachiuri, founder of Optiven Limited, a real estate company. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

In a land deal gone wrong in 2008, George Wachiuri was defrauded of Sh5 million. This was 10 years’ worth of savings, and for a man who had started and seen fail over 15 businesses, it was a tumble into near-depression. 

But not one to give up easily, he borrowed Sh70,000 from a friend and threw himself back into real estate, and through Optiven, which he registered in 1997, has employed hundreds and been feted several times, nationally and internationally.