Rising Through Disruption: Fabulare’s Legacy of Dreaming Big

I’m sitting here with my knee elevated and wrapped in an ice pack. It’s the second day post-opt surgery from my knee surgery. I tore my lateral meniscus and cartilage and had a lovely cyst that was drained.

I had big plans for December—huge plans, actually, and this didn’t exactly fall into my to-do list. Even though this does dapper my plans, my knee pain doesn’t even come close to the pain in my heart.

Just last Sunday, we hosted YOU ARE’s biggest event of the year, the EmpowHER Brunch Gala. Our goal was to raise $10,000 to begin building a safe house for women and girls on the land we purchased in Uganda this summer. But we didn’t just meet that goal—we exceeded it, raising $13,000 in one evening, all for the safety and empowerment of women and girls. To put this in perspective, there was a time when we raised less than $10,000 in an entire year. In just one event, we surpassed what we usually raise in 12 months.

All for women and girls.

This past summer, I had the privilege of visiting the girls in our YOU ARE program in Uganda. While there, I visited the secondary school where we have 10 girls enrolled. I came up with a fun question game to help us connect better and understand where they needed more support. We laughed, shared stories, and bonded over everything from their favorite foods to their biggest dreams.

As the game wrapped up, I asked the girls to come outside one by one for their annual photos, taken for their Catalyst monthly sponsor.

“Fabulare, it’s your turn, love. Come outside so I can take your beautiful picture,” I called to one of the girls.

She followed me outside, holding her journal tightly, almost like she couldn’t wait to show me what was inside. I immediately recognized it—it was the Dream Journal we’d given her when she first joined YOU ARE’s program.

“Auntie Jessica, I have something to show you,” she said, flipping through the pages with excitement.

She landed on a page and pointed to it with pride. “This is my 5-year plan to become a doctor.”

There it was—her dream in writing. She’d listed how she wanted to start a medical practice where mothers could receive both healing and counseling. Fabulare had grown up facing more challenges than any young person should. She had become a young mother herself, yet instead of letting her hardships hold her back, she dreamed of using her own experiences to make a difference in her community.

I was in awe of her vision. I wrote about it in my journal when I returned to my room. Fabulare was living proof that safe housing and giving a young girl a chance to learn is the way to transform communities.

Fast forward to the planning of our EmpowHER Brunch Gala. I asked our local lead to record a video of Fabulare sharing her life story—everything from her childhood to her time in YOU ARE’s care, and her dreams for the future. The room was filled with 100+ people as Fabulare’s story was broadcast, where she courageously spoke about the 20 years of struggle she’d faced. She said that since joining YOU ARE, she had “found herself”—she felt more confident, more comfortable, and more empowered.

Her biggest dream? To be a mentor and leader to other orphans, to show them that even though fear had been their constant companion, they too could dream big.

The very next day after the gala, I received a message from our local lead that Fabulare had passed away suddenly from a medical emergency.

There’s a principle I’ve learned: “Disruption Follows Intention.” It’s the idea that when you set out to improve your life or make big moves, disruption will often follow. And when it does, it’s not a sign to stop—it’s a sign you’re on the right path.

This is the raw side of running a nonprofit that I never anticipated. When you start a nonprofit, you imagine transforming lives, offering love and care, and witnessing incredible growth. And over the past two years, we’ve done just that. But you don’t prepare for the heartbreak that comes when you have to bury one of your own.

These are the kind of heartbreaks that can either cause a disruption so devastating that it stops you from moving forward or inspire you to dream bigger.

When I think about Fabulare’s life, I am in awe of her resilience. Her boldness, her audacity to dream, was a testament to her spirit. She didn’t let her past define her future. She dreamed from the power of who she was in that moment, not from the pain of her past.

So, I want to encourage you to keep dreaming bigger, no matter what disruptions come your way.

Disruptions are never easy. But Fabulare’s story—her unwavering ambition and determination—reminds me that even in the face of loss, we can still dream bigger.

How often do we come across opportunities that could transform our lives, yet we hesitate, make excuses, or let fear hold us back? Fabulare didn’t hesitate. She didn’t let her circumstances dictate her choices. She moved toward opportunities that would allow her to grow and make a difference.

Our hearts are broken by the loss of this incredible young girl, and the grief is unimaginable. But I can’t help but be in awe of her courage to keep moving forward, to chase opportunities even when life was hard.

In her honor, I will do the same.

With a full heart, I’m proud to announce the launch of Fabulare’s Dream Project of Mothers—a fund dedicated to supporting mothers through healing and medical services, just as Fabulare dreamed of doing. This initiative will honor her legacy and continue her vision each year on December 16th. It serves as a powerful reminder that investing in women and girls, even in the face of loss, is never a wasted opportunity. It is, in fact, the key to transforming entire communities.

Disruption will always come. It can feel like a sign of defeat, a message that maybe this path isn’t meant for you. Or, you can choose to take it as a challenge to double down on your mission, stand firm in your values, and keep moving forward.

Fabulare’s life serves as a powerful reminder that we are capable of so much more than we often think. Even when the world feels heavy, even when we face heartbreaking moments, we can rise, dream bigger, and create a lasting impact.

Today, as I sit here, barely able to move after surgery and heartbroken over the loss of Fabulare, I still choose to see these disruptions as a sign that we’re on the right path. Reflecting on Fabulare’s incredible transformation over the last two years—from worrying about where her next meal would come from to journaling about opening a medical facility for mothers—reminds me of the intention we set out at the very beginning…

To remind women and girls when they doubt if they are capable… YOU ARE.