Kenyans are hardworking, resilient and know when to seize an opportunity. With the country having few job opportunities to absorb everyone, there has been a mass exodus of Kenyans moving to foreign countries in search of greener pastures. George Gacheru relocated to Rwanda where he rose from working as a waiter to owning a restaurant. His achievements saw him being lauded by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during a state visit to Rwanda on 14th October 2022.
Here is the story of the founder of Georgies Grill in Kigali as told by WoK.
The Journey
George Gacheru was born in Kenya where he spent the better part of his life. He relocated to Rwanda in 2012 where he worked as a waiter at a local restaurant in the country. After working in the position for several months, he gained the necessary experience on how to operate a restaurant in the country. The entrepreneur would then raise funds with help from friends and family and established Georgies Grill & BBQ in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda.
Georgies Grill
The restaurant which specializes in the preparation of African cuisines. Through the restaurant, he not only makes a living out of it but has also created job opportunities for Rwandese who work for him. According to its menu, the restaurant serves smoked fish, grilled chicken, ugali pickles and different African local drinks. The facility is popular amongst Kenyans who are either visiting or live and work in Rwanda.
“This is the best and only nyama choma place for Kenyans,” Gacheru told a local publication.
Gachagua’s Visit
The Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during his first official state tour to attend the youth summit in Rwanda made a surprise visit to Georgies restaurant on Friday 14th October 2022. While giving a speech at the restaurant, Gachagua appreciated Rwandan President Paul Kagame for accommodating Kenyans in his country.
“President Paul Kagame is happy with the presence of Kenyans in Rwanda. He has encouraged Kenyans to continue doing business in Rwanda and I am asking you to do so while being good ambassadors for us. Kenyans are active in business in Rwanda which is a good trading partner with Kenya,” he said.
He also implored Kenyans in the diaspora to be work HARD and to respect the laws of the country adding that the Ruto led administration will create a State Department for Diaspora Affairs to address the challenges of welfare to Kenyans in the diaspora. Gachagua was in the company of Senate Speaker Amason Kingi who was on a separate mission and 12 Members of Parliament who were part of his delegation to attend the Youth Connect Africa Summit.
