About us

Our story

It all began with a conversation. We were in an ordinary meeting when we started talking about relationships, loneliness and how difficult it can be to meet new people as an adult. We are Katja and Iivari, the founders of Oma Ihminen. That conversation sparked the idea of a place where people could feel seen and heard as themselves, whatever their circumstances.

We talked about how many people long for new friends or a partner, even when life is otherwise good. How lonely you can feel in a crowd. And how easily you start comparing your life with other people’s: should I have a relationship too, more friends, or a clearer sense of where I belong? After a separation, a loss or another life change, familiar things can fall into a completely new order. Sometimes you have to begin again even when it was not your choice.

We did not think there was something missing in people. What moved us was how many had been made to feel that way. We wanted to build a place where you would not have to defend your circumstances, and where getting to know someone could begin with what you choose to share.

One thought mattered from the very beginning: you can enjoy being on your own and still long for someone. You can love your freedom, your home and the everyday life you have built, while wishing there were someone to tell about your day. Someone to laugh with over the smallest things, someone you feel at ease beside. Equally, life can feel good and truly yours without a romantic relationship. Neither way of living needs an explanation.

You do not need to find another person to become whole. But even when you are whole, you are allowed to long for love. This is the thought behind our motto: Alone, yet whole.

After that conversation, we kept coming back to the idea. What could we do to make meeting new people a little easier? How could we talk about loneliness without shame, and about relationships in a way that makes room for different lives? We did not have all the answers, but we wanted to begin.

And so Oma Ihminen was born in spring 2026. We believe that even a small encounter can matter. You might recognise something of your own life in someone else’s story. One sentence can bring relief, and a sincere “How are you?” can open a conversation you have needed for a long time.

To us, Oma Ihminen is a digital village taking shape little by little. You arrive with the life you have lived: its joys, disappointments, losses and new beginnings. You do not have to tell everyone everything, or be strong, cheerful and ready for the next step to belong. You can want closeness and need space. You can set boundaries, disagree and change your mind. Sharing a space also means allowing others that same freedom and treating one another with respect.

Oma Ihminen is still at the beginning. We write about things many people think about but may find difficult to say aloud: relationships, loneliness, love, self-worth, boundaries and hope. We are building our online shop and developing new ways to bring people together. We want Oma Ihminen to grow with the experiences and ideas people bring to the conversation.

There is still work to do. But we know why we are doing it: to build a place where there is time to get to know one another, and where everyone has the chance to be met as themselves.

You are welcome to join us.

Katja and Iivari
Founders of Oma Ihminen