Obama's half-sister likens German youth award to Oscar for young people

Sep 15, 2015 Auma Obama, half-sister to U.S. President Barack Obama and chairwoman of the Kenya-based Sauti Kuu Foundation, recently attended the “Act Now 2015” charity award in Berlin.

While speaking to reporters at a news conference, she said:

“I always wanted to celebrate young people because we work with them and tell them to be active, but we must also appreciate that. And we need to celebrate that in order for them to be motivated to do more,”

Born and raised in Kenya, Auma Obama got her master’s degree from Heidelberg University before proceeding to Bayreuth University in Bavaria for her PhD.

Speaking on the award, which is established to honor social, humanitarian and ecological projects, she said:

“As far as I am concerned, Germany is on top regarding its humanitarian willingness to help and social engagement. And now with the refugees you can see that. And for me as someone who has lived in Germany for 16 years, got to know its society and was accepted in it, who studied here, became an adult here, it is a thank you to the German people to tell them that we want to celebrate the tradition of giving, we want to continue that tradition of giving. I want the young people here to be seen and to be celebrated so that those who are not yet doing so are being motivated to do the same.”