When you were born, it was all joy and happiness that a baby girl or a baby boy has come into this world. Compliments galore were shared and great hopes about you and your very prosperous future were in the air. Your infancy was beaming with the light of positive anticipation.

According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, a total of 18.9 million Kenyans are unemployed. Out of this, 5.3 million youths, constituting 39% of the age group between 18 and 34 years are unemployed. These numbers may now be increased by the current Covid-19 pandemic that has wiped away many jobs.

The new normal is constantly being re-defined by the fast-changing practices that are being brought about by the current Covid-19 pandemic.  Some of the new normal routines that we must cope with include:

The current you may be struggling right now. You could be currently doing badly in your career or your business or your family life; even maybe going through a depression, but despite your current situation, the true can still emerge. This may take some time and a little effort, but you will surely arise; like a huge volcanic mountain, and everyone will be astounded by your majestic prominence.

Life is not just about happiness, abundance, wealth and good times, it is also about bad times, sorrow and poverty. As long as you are on earth, you are bound to experience a taste of either moments once in life. That said, allow me to share with you some five tips on how you can thrive in difficult moments.

We all live is an environment that is full of massive negativity and this has brought about untold depression, stress, hate, inadequacy, fear and discouragements to many. I call this, going down the hill. I am here, to encourage you to climb uphill, no matter the challenges that you are currently facing.

Over the last three months, I have done the more talks, Webinars, Facebook Live shows, mentorship forums and one-on-one telephone engagements than the entire year 2019. During this Covid-19 period, I have discovered 8 very workable ways of staying afloat:

The government has lifted it’s lockdown of major cities following the eruption of the Covid 19 pandemic. The announcement by President Uhuru Kenyatta on 6th July 2020 came just three days after Optiven Group CEO George Wachiuri called on the government to lift the lockdown. Wachiuri who was speaking in Kiambu County said this was imperative if the economy was to grow.

The threats by Government should be taken very seriously as it will have a negative effect on our struggling economy, struggling businesses, low collection on Government income and erode confidence in real estate and more so people trusting Kenyan title deeds.

As we open up the economy, we need some practical rules to keep the virus at bay for ordinary Kenyans and businesses to uphold.

By George Wachiuri

Around the month of October 2019, Optiven placed an advert on the dailies, seeking to fill 30 new marketers’ job positions. Out of this advert, our Human Resource shortlisted 60 young Kenyans for interview. Among these was a lady who had very impressive academic qualifications.

I take this opportunity to wish all mothers around the world, a Happy Mother’s Day. A majority of us will unfortunately be celebrating it without our mothers, many of whom remain cornerstone in our lives. I can’t hesitate to reinforce the key role played by Mothers the world over.

We are experiencing a situation that is almost what was only seen or experienced in 1918 where millions of lives were lost. At the moment we are not there yet by the grace of God. However at this time the worst enemy is actually the fear originating from numerous sources of information. Our communities need to know how to cope with this fear.

This is the time that the Society must come together to fight a common enemy. Those who have capacity to lift the less fortunate in the society now have a divine task, to extend their hand of generosity, especially to families that are directly or indirectly affected by Covid-19.

Popular American poet Emily Elizabeth Dickinson once said this about hope – It is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words — And never stops at all. Despite the fact that the world is going through a tough patch courtesy of the current Covid-19 Crisis; the world is anchored on deep confidence that this temporary crisis, just like all other preceding crises will go away.

Kenya’s political noise is at an all time low, probably at a negative 10 degrees, amidst this tough ravager by the name Covid-19. Amidst the current depressing turn of events, innovations are cropping up like mushrooms on a Virgin land. Let me share with you three innovations and top creativities, amongst many others that are coming up in Kenya.

We are in a season that each of us must be counted in caring for the dramatic changes happening. No one is spared at this time. However we need to remember the thousands of people who need one Key basic need – food.

There is always a silver lining behind any dark cloud. The current Corona crisis is not an exception. Given, this pandemic will permanently change the way businesses are done across the board. The beauty about this is that it is already changing some of our behaviors and culture for the better.

A wise man once said that there is a season for everything under the sun – even when we can’t see the sun. Seasons are part of life just like day and night or winter and summer. Seasons of crisis, for instance the current Covid-19 pandemic, come to necessitate change. Crises are not permanent but the question is: How do we overcome such a season of crisis?