This article is about the third wife of the paternal grandfather of U.S. President Barack Obama. For her stepdaughter of the same name, see Sarah Obama.
Sarah Onyango Obama (1922 – March 29, 2021) was a Kenyan educator and philanthropist. She was the third wife of Hussein Onyango Obama, the paternal grandmother of U.S. president Barack Obama[1] and helped raise his father, Barack Obama Sr.[2][3] She was known by her short name as Sarah Obama and was sometimes referred to as Sarah Ogwel, Sarah Hussein Obama, or Sarah Anyango Obama.[4] She lived in Nyang'oma Kogelo village, 48 km (30 miles) west of western Kenya's main city, Kisumu, on the edge of Lake Victoria.[5][6][7]
As a young woman, Sarah Obama helped raise her stepson Barack Obama Sr. She was a firm believer in quality early education and regularly took him on her bicycle to primary school so that he could get the education she had been denied.[8]
She first met her step grandson, Barack Obama II, the future President of the United States, during his visit to Kenya in 1988.[9] Although she was not a blood relation, Barack Obama called her "Granny Sarah".[4][10] In addition to mentioning her in his memoir Dreams from My Father, he spoke about her in his 2014 speech to the United Nations General Assembly.[3] Sarah, who spoke Luo and only a few words of English, communicated with President Obama through an interpreter.
During the U.S. presidential campaign of 2008, she protested attempts to portray Obama as a foreigner to the United States or as a Muslim, saying that while Obama's grandfather had been a Muslim, "In the world of today, children have different religions from their parents."[11] At one point in her life, she worked as a cook for Christian missionaries,[2] but Sarah Obama was "a strong believer of the Islamic faith", in her words.[12] On July 4, 2008, she attended the United States Independence Day celebrations in Nairobi, hosted by Michael Ranneberger, the U.S. ambassador in Kenya.[13] The following year, she attended Barack Obama's first presidential inauguration.[3]
In 2010, she created the Mama Sarah Obama Foundation to provide food and education to orphans, even sheltering some of them in her home.[3][9]
On the occasion of the inaugural Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (November 19, 2014) at the United Nations, Sarah Obama received the Pioneer Award in Education honoring the work of her foundation.[14][2] Upon her acceptance of the award, she explained, "Our vision is a world where children are nurtured and supported physically, educationally, and emotionally to thrive and succeed in life."[15]
On March 29, 2021 it was announced that Mama Sarah had died at the age of 99,[16] in a hospital in Kisumu, Western Kenya, having suffered with an undisclosed illness a few days earlier.[2] Following her death, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a statement praising her as strong, virtuous, and "an icon of family values".[2]
Referencesedit
^Oywa, John (August 15, 2004). "Kenya: Special Report: Sleepy Little Village Where Obama Traces His Own Roots (Page 2 of 2)". allAfrica.com. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
^ abcdePrincewill, Nimi (March 29, 2021). "Barack Obama's step-grandmother and family matriarch 'Mama Sarah' dies in Kenya". CNN.
^ abcdOdula, Tom (March 29, 2021). "'Mama Sarah,' the Obama family matriarch in Kenya, dies at 99". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
^ abCrilly, Rob (February 27, 2008). . Time Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on March 2, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
^Pflanz, Mike (January 11, 2008). . The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on April 16, 2008.
^Fornek, Scott (September 9, 2007). "Sarah Obama – 'Sparkling, laughing eyes'". Chicago Sun-Times.
^"In Kenya, Barack Obama's family prays for end to conflict – Times Online". The Times. London. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
^"Transforming Children". Leaders Online. LEADERS Magazine, LLC. January 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
^ abTreisman, Rachel (March 29, 2021). "Remembering Mama Sarah: Philanthropist And Obama Family Matriarch Dies In Kenya At 99". npr. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
^Houreld, Katharine (March 5, 2008). "Obama's grandma slams 'untruths'". USA Today. Associated Press. Retrieved May 2, 2010. See also this correction.
^Kantor, Jodi (April 30, 2007). "A Candidate, His Minister and the Search for Faith". The New York Times. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
^Daily Nation, July 8, 2008: "Obama granny's day out with envoys and top politicians" July 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Daily Nation, July 8, 2008
^"Obama's Step-Grandmother Continues Educating Young Kenyans", NPR (November 22, 2014).
^Sokol, Lori (December 23, 2014). "Why Women Entrepreneurs Matter". Huffpost. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
^Okuoro, Sara (March 29, 2021). "Mama Sarah Obama is dead". standardmedia.co.ke. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sarah Onyango Obama.
January 01, 1970
sarah, onyango, obama, this, article, about, third, wife, paternal, grandfather, president, barack, obama, stepdaughter, same, name, sarah, obama, 1922, march, 2021, kenyan, educator, philanthropist, third, wife, hussein, onyango, obama, paternal, grandmother,. This article is about the third wife of the paternal grandfather of U S President Barack Obama For her stepdaughter of the same name see Sarah Obama Sarah Onyango Obama 1922 March 29 2021 was a Kenyan educator and philanthropist She was the third wife of Hussein Onyango Obama the paternal grandmother of U S president Barack Obama 1 and helped raise his father Barack Obama Sr 2 3 She was known by her short name as Sarah Obama and was sometimes referred to as Sarah Ogwel Sarah Hussein Obama or Sarah Anyango Obama 4 She lived in Nyang oma Kogelo village 48 km 30 miles west of western Kenya s main city Kisumu on the edge of Lake Victoria 5 6 7 Sarah Onyango ObamaObama in 2014BornSarah Okech1921 or 1922Kenya ColonyDiedMarch 29 2021 2021 03 29 aged 98 99 Kisumu KenyaKnown forMama Sarah Obama Foundation U S President Barack Obama s step grandmotherSpouseHussein Onyango Obama m 1941 died 1979 wbr Children4 including Zeituni Onyango Home of Sarah Onyango Obama in village Nyang oma Kogelo in Siaya County Kenya August 19 2016Biography editAs a young woman Sarah Obama helped raise her stepson Barack Obama Sr She was a firm believer in quality early education and regularly took him on her bicycle to primary school so that he could get the education she had been denied 8 She first met her step grandson Barack Obama II the future President of the United States during his visit to Kenya in 1988 9 Although she was not a blood relation Barack Obama called her Granny Sarah 4 10 In addition to mentioning her in his memoir Dreams from My Father he spoke about her in his 2014 speech to the United Nations General Assembly 3 Sarah who spoke Luo and only a few words of English communicated with President Obama through an interpreter During the U S presidential campaign of 2008 she protested attempts to portray Obama as a foreigner to the United States or as a Muslim saying that while Obama s grandfather had been a Muslim In the world of today children have different religions from their parents 11 At one point in her life she worked as a cook for Christian missionaries 2 but Sarah Obama was a strong believer of the Islamic faith in her words 12 On July 4 2008 she attended the United States Independence Day celebrations in Nairobi hosted by Michael Ranneberger the U S ambassador in Kenya 13 The following year she attended Barack Obama s first presidential inauguration 3 In 2010 she created the Mama Sarah Obama Foundation to provide food and education to orphans even sheltering some of them in her home 3 9 On the occasion of the inaugural Women s Entrepreneurship Day November 19 2014 at the United Nations Sarah Obama received the Pioneer Award in Education honoring the work of her foundation 14 2 Upon her acceptance of the award she explained Our vision is a world where children are nurtured and supported physically educationally and emotionally to thrive and succeed in life 15 On March 29 2021 it was announced that Mama Sarah had died at the age of 99 16 in a hospital in Kisumu Western Kenya having suffered with an undisclosed illness a few days earlier 2 Following her death Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a statement praising her as strong virtuous and an icon of family values 2 References edit Oywa John August 15 2004 Kenya Special Report Sleepy Little Village Where Obama Traces His Own Roots Page 2 of 2 allAfrica com Retrieved March 24 2013 a b c d e Princewill Nimi March 29 2021 Barack Obama s step grandmother and family matriarch Mama Sarah dies in Kenya CNN a b c d Odula Tom March 29 2021 Mama Sarah the Obama family matriarch in Kenya dies at 99 Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 9 2021 a b Crilly Rob February 27 2008 Dreams from Obama s Grandmother Time Magazine Inc Archived from the original on March 2 2008 Retrieved July 3 2008 Pflanz Mike January 11 2008 Barack Obama s Kenyan relatives keep faith The Daily Telegraph London Archived from the original on April 16 2008 Fornek Scott September 9 2007 Sarah Obama Sparkling laughing eyes Chicago Sun Times In Kenya Barack Obama s family prays for end to conflict Times Online The Times London Retrieved March 24 2013 Transforming Children Leaders Online LEADERS Magazine LLC January 2015 Retrieved May 10 2021 a b Treisman Rachel March 29 2021 Remembering Mama Sarah Philanthropist And Obama Family Matriarch Dies In Kenya At 99 npr Retrieved May 9 2021 Barack Obama in Kenya CNN dead YouTube link Houreld Katharine March 5 2008 Obama s grandma slams untruths USA Today Associated Press Retrieved May 2 2010 See also this correction Kantor Jodi April 30 2007 A Candidate His Minister and the Search for Faith The New York Times Retrieved May 2 2010 Daily Nation July 8 2008 Obama granny s day out with envoys and top politicians Archived July 15 2008 at the Wayback Machine Daily Nation July 8 2008 Obama s Step Grandmother Continues Educating Young Kenyans NPR November 22 2014 Sokol Lori December 23 2014 Why Women Entrepreneurs Matter Huffpost Retrieved May 10 2021 Okuoro Sara March 29 2021 Mama Sarah Obama is dead standardmedia co ke Retrieved March 29 2021 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sarah Onyango Obama Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sarah Onyango Obama amp oldid 1216155333, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
