Dr Auma Obama: Sauti Kuu – strong voices!
Born and raised in Kenya, Dr Auma Obama pursued her studies in Germany, earning a master’s degree from the University of Heidelberg. She further completed a degree at the German Film and Television Academy in Berlin while simultaneously obtaining a PhD from the University of Bayreuth. Dr Auma Obama is the sister of former US President Barack Obama.
Topics addressed by Dr Auma Obama:
- The Future of Youth – poor rich Europe
- Emerging from the niche – how sustainability is becoming more appealing to consumers. What does sustainability signify on a global scale?
- The social dimension of sustainability – challenges and opportunities for the business sector
- “You are Your Future” – development policy and Africa’s situation in connection with the work of the Sauti Kuu Foundation
After completing her studies, Dr Obama moved to England, where she worked in a local branch of the Children’s Services Department. She later returned to Kenya and spent nearly five years with CARE International, an international aid organization. Her responsibilities included coordinating the Sport for Social Change programme, a joint sports and education initiative aimed at boosting the self-esteem of children and adolescents, with a particular focus on supporting girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“People from diverse cultural backgrounds can and should engage in dialogue – enriching and complementing each other.”
Dr Obama serves on the governing council of the Kilimanjaro Initiative, which promotes non-violence and positive transformation in disadvantaged families and supports sustainable development within their communities. A key activity of the initiative is the annual climb of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak.
In addition to her activism, Dr Auma Obama is an author and delivers lectures and keynote speeches worldwide on environmental, economic, and social sustainability, with a special focus on Kenya. She wrote the bestseller “And Then Life Happens”.
You are Your Future! Leadership with Passion.
She founded and chairs the Sauti Kuu Foundation. Sauti Kuu, meaning “powerful voices” in Kiswahili, aims to empower disadvantaged children and youth by awakening and strengthening their potential. The foundation operates on the principle of “helping people help themselves,” providing economically sustainable and practical education and training to youth, encouraging them to become the architects of their own futures.
Dr Auma Obama’s academic qualifications:
University of Bayreuth, Germany: Doctor of Philology (1996). Research areas: intercultural communication, German language studies, comparative studies, and education.
German Film and Television Academy, Germany: diploma in film production (1996). Focus areas: film production, directing, camera work, editing, and scriptwriting.
University of Heidelberg, Germany: Master of Arts in Philology (1987). Research focus: intercultural communication, German language studies, linguistics, sociology, and education.
Sauti Kuu
Sauti Kuu, which translates to “powerful voices” in English, is a charitable organization founded in Kenya by Auma Obama. Its mission is to create opportunities for children and youth in personal development, education, and economic sustainability, enabling them to live self-determined and independent lives. The foundation emphasizes personal responsibility for improving one’s situation, as traditional “development aid” has proven ineffective in the long term. “Young people need to realize they must take control of their destiny. They understand that through active participation, they can achieve much more, are highly motivated, and work hard. All they require are opportunities and our support.”
Who is Auma Obama?
Dr. Auma Obama (born 1960 in Nairobi) is a Kenyan-British Germanist, sociologist, journalist, and author. She is the elder half-sister of former U.S. President Barack Obama. After completing her education in Kenya, she studied German Studies at the University of Heidelberg on a scholarship and later earned her PhD at the University of Bayreuth, focusing on the concept of work in German and Kenyan literature and culture.
Upon returning to Kenya, she worked for five years as East Africa coordinator at the aid organization CARE International. She subsequently founded the Sauti Kuu Foundation (“Strong Voices” in Kiswahili), which supports disadvantaged children and youth.
Dr. Obama is also actively engaged in various organizations advocating for children’s and women’s rights in Africa and is a member of the World Future Council. In 2010, she published her autobiography, Das Leben kommt immer dazwischen. Stationen einer Reise (“Life Always Gets in the Way. Stations of a Journey”), sharing her personal and professional experiences. In 2011, her work and activism were featured in the documentary The Education of Auma Obama.
