At The Cause, we consider it a privilege to walk with strong Kingdom leaders as they take their God-given visions from a dream into reality. Years ago, God put the vision for The Zoe House, a discipleship program for young pregnant women in Uganda, on Tiffany Kavuma’s heart. Tiffany has diligently and obediently pursued this God-given dream, and today many women’s lives are being transformed through The Zoe house!
–Morgan Funke
Here’s an interview with Tiffany Kavuma, of The Zoe House (partner of The Cause)…
The Cause: Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today!
Tiffany: Last year I was dragging my feet on starting The Zoe House. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I felt ill-equipped for the task at hand. I felt the magnitude of what God was entrusting me with and wanted to stay on my couch of comfort instead of caring for a handful of vulnerable young girls as they navigate through life as new mothers.
Some days I forget to put on deodorant, could I truly provide a safe place for these girls to experience restoration, freedom, and love?
But then there was a moment that set the fire in my soul to start The Zoe House.
My husband Ashiram and I were driving down a small side street when we saw a girl sitting next to a fence with a baby. She looked devastated as her eyes remained focused on the ground. I asked Ashiram what was happening to her, to be sitting on a side street clutching her baby close. So he pulled up, rolled down his window, and began a conversation with her.
This girl, who was 20 and had a 4-month old baby, was chased out of her uncle’s house by his wife. She told my husband she had been wandering around crying and praying because she was not from the city.
The storm clouds rolled in and rain began to fall. Immediately, I wanted to offer her a warm, safe place to stay. Instead, I asked my husband to ask her one simple question, “What do you need?”
Her baby, Sudais, had a bad cough for two months and all she wanted was to take him to a clinic. There are many things she could have asked us for, but getting medical attention for her baby was her number one priority.
We drove them to a clinic nearby and shuffled into the doctor’s office like we’d been family all along. After running some tests, the doctor told us it was a chest infection and Sudais would need treatment for five days.
Although I wanted her to stay with us, all this mother wanted to do was be reunited with her family in a town in Northern Uganda. I couldn’t deny her request, so we agreed to put her on a bus to reconcile with her family.
Her entire demeanor changed from hopelessness to hope in the few hours we were with her. She asked me to pray for her and, as I hugged her goodbye, I held back the tears threatening to spill over. On our way home that night, my heart was crushed into a million pieces thinking about all the vulnerable young mothers who cannot provide for their children’s medical care and don’t have a place to turn for refuge.
My husband took one look at me and said, “Honey, God is placing The Zoe House right in your path.”
This night would be the catalyst for building The Zoe House. It’s easier to stick to my comfort zone, but it’s impossible to unsee what I saw.
This night I decided to stop keeping other people’s pain at arm’s length.
When I become overwhelmed by the number of things that need to be accomplished or the sheer number of items to plan for, I look at this picture, and remind myself that the mama of Sudais is not the only one looking for a safe place to belong.
The Cause: What was an initial challenge in starting your ministry?
Tiffany: Fear of failure, and doubt that The Zoe House would actually go from a vision in my heart to something tangible.
The Cause: How did you overcome this challenge?
Tiffany: I decided to do it scared.
The Cause: What continues to motivate you when times are hard?
Tiffany: What God wants to accomplish through The Zoe House is what propels me forward even when fear is staring me right in the face. I keep moving forward knowing that there are girls out there who have been shunned from their family, kicked out of their homes and have nowhere to turn other than the streets or the slums. I continue to fight through my fears as I think about the girl who is terrified because she is carrying a child and can’t comprehend how she will provide for her growing family when she can’t even provide a meal for herself. I keep shoving my doubts to the side when I think of the girl who is thinking of self-aborting her child because she doesn’t have a safe place to raise a family. I press on thinking about that girl who has been raped yet blame is heaped on her for the pregnancy. I stop giving fear so much real estate in my heart when I hear about how prevalent child marriage still is in this country.
The Cause: What have you recently celebrated – personally and/or professionally?
Tiffany: I feel like the most recent celebration in our home is my husband’s company being awarded Top 100 Mid-Sized businesses in Uganda. When you’re married, your spouse’s victory is your victory.
The Cause: What is your most recent prayer request?
Tiffany: My prayer is that I will be open to the creative ways God wants to build this ministry and that I wouldn’t try to put Him in a box based on my limited perspective. I’m also praying that he establishes a trustworthy team that shares the same passion for the girls and desires to invest wholeheartedly in the work of the ministry.
The Cause: What is your most important fundraising goal at the moment?
Tiffany: There are a few goals we are trying to achieve by year-end to set 2020 up for success.
- An entrepreneur starter kit after graduation. These girls will have the knowledge and skill to do baking, catering, and hairdressing but not the capital to get started. The entrepreneur starter kit will make sure every girl leaves The Zoe House equipped mentally and physically to create dignified work. Target: $3,000
- After graduation, The Zoe House wants to expand the skill training to tailoring and crafts but will need 10 sewing machines, material, and finances to hire a trainer to start this program. Target: $1,000
- Six months of rent is due in February, and this will help our house remain a safe place for these girls. One girl said she loved coming to The Zoe House because we have grass. Yes, grass. Target: $3,000
The Cause: Words of wisdom or encouragement to others just starting out?
Tiffany: Don’t let the ‘could’ cripple you. There are a lot of things that ‘could’ go wrong, but stepping out and messing up is better than sitting on the couch and never fulfilling your God-given purpose. Get comfortable being uncomfortable!
The Cause: How has The Cause added to your ministry?
Tiffany: My favorite part of every The Cause call is the time at the end when Morgan or Jenn offers to pray over me and the ministry. In ministry, it’s easy to always give of ourselves and not take time to receive from others. This is a beautiful time when I graciously receive their encouragement, wisdom, and prayers.
The Cause: What’s your preferred way for others to connect with you? 
The Cause: Any upcoming events or campaigns we can share?
Tiffany: Our biggest upcoming campaign is to raise enough money to give all our young mothers enrolled in the Made For More program an entrepreneur starter kit after graduation. These girls will have the knowledge and skill to do baking, catering, and hairdressing but not the capital to get started. The entrepreneur starter kit will make sure every girl leaves The Zoe House equipped mentally and physically to create dignified work and change the trajectory of her family’s life for generations to come.
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