By Eric
Akasa
Two
Kenyan youths in the real estate sector have been named in the top 30 African
entrepreneurs under the age of 30 who are making the most dramatic impact
across Africa in the prestigious Forbes annual listing of the 30 under 30
innovators and entrepreneurs.
The two, Ian Kahara and Kimiti Wanjaria both 29, were listed among six other Kenyans cut across Real Estate, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Media, Tech, Green tech, Healthcare, Agriculture and Fashion who are helping the country alleviate common problems like unemployment, health care, electricity shortages, poor housing and poor waste management.
Last year, the duo made headlines as a breed of young vanguard entrepreneurs who beat all financial odds to bet their fortunes on the lucrative real estate sector, creating a 350 million development, Sigona Valley, an exclusive gated community in West Nairobi.
“The young African entrepreneurs, disruptors and innovators featured on this list are impatient to change Africa and together represent the entrepreneurial, innovative and intellectual best of their generation,” said Mr. Mfonobong Nsehe a writer at www.forbes.com.
An outside panel of 12 judges from across Africa was picked to help identify the group of outstanding entrepreneurs and innovators under the age of 30, in November last year according to Nsehe. In each of 15 categories, ranging from technology, real estate to social entrepreneurs, Forbes editors and reporters together with judges choose the field’s brightest stars who are individually most surprising, engaging, and hard working.
Forbes is an American financial standards magazine owned by Forbes, Inc. Published biweekly and headquartered in New York. The magazine reports on related subjects such as technology, communications, science, and law and is well known for its lists, including richest Americans dubbed the Forbes 400, 40 Wealthiest Africans, African top 30 and under 30, highest-paid stars under 30 and its list of billionaires.
“The listing came as a complete surprise to us, when we started we had a dream of getting into real estate we never realised the impact it would have on young people also interested in getting into the industry in Kenya,” said Ian Kahara Director, Serene Valley Properties Limited, the developer of Sigona Valley.
“Being listed in the 30 under 30 innovators and entrepreneurs is a humbling experience that reinforces the need for perseverance, dedication, a clear goal, divine intervention and is a challenge to do more,” said an elated Mr. Kimiti Wanjaria, Director, Serene Valley Properties Limited.
Some of those who have featured in the Forbes list include Kenya's business magnate Chris Kirubi, Uhuru Kenyatta and Sameer Group proprietor Naushad Merali in the top 40 wealthiest Africans list.
Kimiti and Ian both ICT graduates together with 28-year-old quantity surveyor Thomas Koigi, and 37-year-old biochemist Johnson Waweru, proprietors of Serene Valley Properties Limited launched Sigona Valley in March 2012, having raised secure non-bank, development finance from Shelter Afrique to fund their project.
Today, the young developers have made considerable progress at Sigona Valley set for completion in the fourth quarter of 2013.
“We have put together 90 per cent of the project infrastructure, the show house is nearly done and we are halfway in constructing the homes,” Kimiti explained.
Sigona Valley is targeted at the middle-income market segment to an area with significant growth and capital appreciation potential. The development is offering 3 and 4 bedroom villas in three different house designs for between Sh14.5m and Sh19.95m, in a tranquil gated community set on 4 acres, a stone's throw from Waiyaki Way and 5km from Sigona Golf Club.
Each of the 30 homes sit on approximately 1/10th of an acre with access to community facilities such as bore hole water supply, solar hot water heating, waste water recycling and secured boundary walling.
The young developers are also set to launch a new development in the third quarter of 2013.
The two, Ian Kahara and Kimiti Wanjaria both 29, were listed among six other Kenyans cut across Real Estate, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Media, Tech, Green tech, Healthcare, Agriculture and Fashion who are helping the country alleviate common problems like unemployment, health care, electricity shortages, poor housing and poor waste management.
Last year, the duo made headlines as a breed of young vanguard entrepreneurs who beat all financial odds to bet their fortunes on the lucrative real estate sector, creating a 350 million development, Sigona Valley, an exclusive gated community in West Nairobi.
“The young African entrepreneurs, disruptors and innovators featured on this list are impatient to change Africa and together represent the entrepreneurial, innovative and intellectual best of their generation,” said Mr. Mfonobong Nsehe a writer at www.forbes.com.
An outside panel of 12 judges from across Africa was picked to help identify the group of outstanding entrepreneurs and innovators under the age of 30, in November last year according to Nsehe. In each of 15 categories, ranging from technology, real estate to social entrepreneurs, Forbes editors and reporters together with judges choose the field’s brightest stars who are individually most surprising, engaging, and hard working.
Forbes is an American financial standards magazine owned by Forbes, Inc. Published biweekly and headquartered in New York. The magazine reports on related subjects such as technology, communications, science, and law and is well known for its lists, including richest Americans dubbed the Forbes 400, 40 Wealthiest Africans, African top 30 and under 30, highest-paid stars under 30 and its list of billionaires.
“The listing came as a complete surprise to us, when we started we had a dream of getting into real estate we never realised the impact it would have on young people also interested in getting into the industry in Kenya,” said Ian Kahara Director, Serene Valley Properties Limited, the developer of Sigona Valley.
“Being listed in the 30 under 30 innovators and entrepreneurs is a humbling experience that reinforces the need for perseverance, dedication, a clear goal, divine intervention and is a challenge to do more,” said an elated Mr. Kimiti Wanjaria, Director, Serene Valley Properties Limited.
Some of those who have featured in the Forbes list include Kenya's business magnate Chris Kirubi, Uhuru Kenyatta and Sameer Group proprietor Naushad Merali in the top 40 wealthiest Africans list.
Kimiti and Ian both ICT graduates together with 28-year-old quantity surveyor Thomas Koigi, and 37-year-old biochemist Johnson Waweru, proprietors of Serene Valley Properties Limited launched Sigona Valley in March 2012, having raised secure non-bank, development finance from Shelter Afrique to fund their project.
Today, the young developers have made considerable progress at Sigona Valley set for completion in the fourth quarter of 2013.
“We have put together 90 per cent of the project infrastructure, the show house is nearly done and we are halfway in constructing the homes,” Kimiti explained.
Sigona Valley is targeted at the middle-income market segment to an area with significant growth and capital appreciation potential. The development is offering 3 and 4 bedroom villas in three different house designs for between Sh14.5m and Sh19.95m, in a tranquil gated community set on 4 acres, a stone's throw from Waiyaki Way and 5km from Sigona Golf Club.
Each of the 30 homes sit on approximately 1/10th of an acre with access to community facilities such as bore hole water supply, solar hot water heating, waste water recycling and secured boundary walling.
The young developers are also set to launch a new development in the third quarter of 2013.
No comments:
Post a Comment