Barbara Rüegger is a trained nurse from Switzerland and has worked in ministry to children and youth for 30 years. She has served as a children's pastor, assisted in a home for troubled youth in Switzerland, and worked with street children and slums in India. Barbara became aware of the plight of children growing up in orphanages during visits to Romania and Ukraine in the early 90s and while working in India training orphanages staff and leaders. 

For over 20 years Barbara has worked with YWAM/King's Kids International (KKI). She serves on the KKI International Leadership Team as the Advocate for Children at Risk. Barbara trains and coaches people worldwide who are working with vulnerable children. She has a great passion to help orphans and traumatized children develop healthy attachments and relationships. Barbara serves with the European Team of WWO, spreading the message that children in Europe need families. She is also helping to establish new WWO networks in European countries. 

Barbara holds a MA and PhD in Holistic Child Development (HCD).  She wrote a short manual for her masters for foster parents or people working with children in orphanages to help them understand the importance and ways to development healthy attachments. Her doctorate thesis focused on teenagers aging out of orphanages in Ukraine.