​Dr. Auma Obama

© Fotocredits: SautiKuu Foundation

Dr. Auma Obama was born and raised in Kenya. She studied in Germany, earned a Master's degree from Heidelberg University, completed her PhD in Intercultural German Studies at the University of Bayreuth in 1996 with a dissertation, and also pursued studies at the University of Film and Television in Berlin.

After completing her studies, Dr. Auma Obama worked as a freelance journalist for various media outlets and as a consultant for civic education with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and the Carl Duisberg Society. She then moved to the United Kingdom, where she briefly taught German at the University of Reading, later worked in marketing, and eventually joined Children’s Services. In 2007, she returned to Kenya to work for the humanitarian organization CARE International. A key part of her role there was the creation and coordination of the “Sport for Social Change Network,” an initiative that brought together grassroots organizations from across Africa and South Asia to use sport as a tool for social transformation.

In 2010, Dr. Auma Obama founded the Sauti Kuu Foundation in Kenya, which was also registered in Germany in 2011. The foundation’s goal is to give a voice to socially and financially disadvantaged children and young people. Using a self-help model, it works to unlock their potential and empower them to actively participate in improving their own lives.

At the same time, she launched her career as a speaker. Today, she is an award-winning international keynote speaker who has delivered numerous talks around the world on sustainable socio-economic growth and development, with a special focus on the relationship between the “developed” and the “developing” world. Her topic “You are your Future” is her most powerful message, both personally and globally.

In 2010, Dr. Obama published her autobiography "Das Leben kommt immer dazwischen", which was first released in German and later translated into English in 2012 under the title "And Then Life Happens."

For her humanitarian work, Dr. Obama has received numerous awards and honors.​

• Question 1: What had the greatest impact on you during your time at the University of Bayreuth?

What shaped me most was the academic discourse, as I was very actively involved. I have very fond memories of student life and the beautiful natural surroundings of Bayreuth. And to this day, I still have very good friends in Bayreuth.​

• Question 2: What excites you most about your current work?

Through my work, I have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of children and young people.

• Question 3: What advice would you give young women today for their future?

They should take responsibility for their lives and not allow themselves to be left behind, just because they are women.  Their lives are in their own hands.