Auma Obama was born in 1960, making her one year older than Barack Obama. Her parents are Barack Obama Sr. and Kezia Obama, his first wife. Although Auma and Barack didn't meet until 1984, she saw photos of him when she was a child in Kenya. Once they got together, their rapport was effortless. "We just started talking as though we'd known each other always," Auma later informed Time. She feels so close to Barack that she doesn't use "half" to describe their sibling connection. 

As an adult, Auma moved to Germany, earning a master's degree from the University of Heidelberg, a doctorate from the University of Bayreuth, and a degree from Berlin's German Flim and Television Academy. Like her brother, Auma has a passion for humanitarian work. After working for CARE International,  Auma created the Sauti Kuu Foundation in 2010. Based in Kenya and Germany, Sauti Kuu provides young people with tools to create and achieve their goals. Auma has also traveled the world delivering speeches on sustainability and development. In 2010, she published a memoir, "And Then Life Happens." 

After Barack became president, Auma stayed grounded and committed to her work. "If it's just about my brother, I'll never be a role model," she explained to Time. However, she was delighted with his achievement. "I'm proud of our name because my brother has really carried our name up there ... it's made its mark in the world," Auma told CNN.