Former US president Barack Obama’s sister on her Kenyan foundation, her famous surname and brother and the importance of gender equity.
Ms Obama leads Sauti Kuu, a foundation that empowers young people in Kenya, her country of birth.
In her early years, Ms Obama tells The National she was irritated by assumptions made because of her gender. “I grew up hearing very often that I could or couldn’t do this or the other because I was a girl,” she says. “It was very frustrating for me, especially since I was the only girl in the family. I could not understand why I would be discriminated against just because of something that in the first instance said nothing about who I was as a person.”
That, she says, has to a certain extent become less of an issue today. “The next generation of girls in my family does not have this problem as much.
“I grew up hearing very often that I could or couldn’t do this or the other because I was a girl. It was very frustrating for me, especially since I was the only girl in the family.”
Auma Obama
“Although we women are still not were we would like to be in terms of gender equity, girls today have a lot more opportunities and are not just judged by their gender,” Ms Obama says.
Of her now globally famous surname, she says the fact that her brother was the US president has been a positive factor. “My name is first and foremost just my name. In connection with my brother it has gained greater meaning and has opened many doors for me and given me opportunities that I would not have otherwise had,” she says. “I am grateful for that and know not to underestimate this.
Written for The National, where it was originally published in October 2017.