Since the age of three, Ruth Ngwaro has had four open heart surgeries for her congenital heart defect, with the most recent operation on World Heart Day 2020. At the age of six, she became an ambassador for children with congenital heart disease, reciting poems at events to increase awareness of the condition and to promote heart health.

In Kenya, her country of origin, Ngwaro became known for her advocacy work at nonprofit organizations, resulting in partnerships with local governments and the private sector as well as support of people living with heart disease. She holds a degree in microbiology and lives in Boston, where she works as a personal care assistant.

Ngwaro was one the first eight advocates to join the NCDI Poverty Network’s Voices for PEN-Plus program, which launched in September 2023.