Most people who win an award move on to the next milestone. Jessica Gwaringa did something different. She came back, this time to help decide who wins next.
Jessica moved to the UK from Zimbabwe over twenty years ago. She began her career as a Healthcare Assistant while training to become a Registered Mental Health Nurse, then went on to work as a Mental Health Nurse before stepping into a role as a Care Home Manager. It was in that role that she spotted a gap that would shape the rest of her career, a shortage of high quality agency workers across healthcare.
In July 2014, she acted on it and founded Moonrise 24hr Recruitment. What started as a healthcare staffing agency has grown steadily over the past decade, expanding into Domiciliary Care, Supported Living, Complex Care and Children’s Services, with further growth planned across each of these areas.
Her path highlights include:
- Founder of Moonrise 24hr Recruitment, launched in July 2014
- Growth from a single healthcare staffing agency into Domiciliary Care, Supported Living, Complex Care and Children’s Services
- Winner of the Novi Female Entrepreneur Award
- 2026 Novi Awards Judge
- Official sponsor of the 2026 Novi Awards through Moonrise 24hr Recruitment
What makes Jessica’s story stand out within the Novi community is the full circle nature of it. Years after winning the Novi Female Entrepreneur Award, an achievement she has credited with giving her business and her confidence as a leader a genuine boost, she has returned to invest directly in the programme that helped her along the way. Moonrise 24hr Recruitment is now an official sponsor of the 2026 Novi Awards, and Jessica takes her place this year as a judge rather than a finalist.
It is exactly the kind of cycle the Novi Awards were built to create. Recognition that leads to growth, growth that leads to opportunity, and opportunity that gets passed on to the next woman ready for her own breakthrough moment. Few judges understand that cycle as personally as Jessica does, having lived through every stage of it herself.
The best kind of success is the sort that circles back around to lift someone else. Jessica Gwaringa’s journey, from finalist to judge, is proof of exactly that.
Join us in celebrating leaders like Jessica at the Novi Awards ceremony. Tickets are on sale now.
